The global fight to secure social protection for millions of digital platform workers is reaching a decisive moment.
This past June, the International Labour Organization (ILO) gained a historic mandate in Geneva to pursue a binding convention supplemented by a recommendation on “Decent Work in the Platform Economy.” The mandate affirms that platform flexibility must not compromise human dignity and security. Final negotiations for adoption are set for June 2026.
With one of the largest online ride-hailing and delivery markets in all of Southeast Asia, nowhere perhaps is this issue more pressing than in Indonesia where the digital economy is a vital lifeline for millions of its citizens who rely on app-based work as their mainstay and a bulwark against economic uncertainty.
Yet, a wide disconnect remains between the ambitions of Geneva and the harsh realities of the Jakarta streets. Especially as there is now a rumor about a potential merger between Grab and Gojek, or GoTo, that threatens gig workers’ income and bargaining power.
The pandemic saw the emergence of the gig economy as essential income sources for workers and crucial for those who needed their services. Their immense contribution to the economy notwithstanding, gig workers remain in limbo as current labor laws do not recognize them as workers or employees. As such, their contributions are seen as voluntary and are therefore denied access to unions, health insurance, social security or retirement benefits.
However, the status quo is changing as gig workers become more aware of their collective power and are now better organized to assert their rights. For example, in late 2025, thousands of online delivery and transport drivers affiliated with the Garda Indonesia Association and other allied groups held mass protests in Jakarta to demand legal protections and economic fairness from the government and apps such as Gojek and Grab.
The government has finally woken up to the fact that the “partners” tag no longer applies and is now fast-tracking a new bill regarding on-demand transport. In addition, one of the largest political parties has proposed a bill on the Protection of Gig Economy Workers that grants social security financing schemes and other protections like defining worker status and rights, sick leave, dispute resolution and the right to organize. While the House of Representatives debates their future, the government should know that gig workers want rights equal to most employees and anything less than comprehensive employer-sponsored schemes is just not enough.
Despite recent progress, the path to protecting Indonesia’s online workers is currently blocked by three critical debates which will shape the future of work in Indonesia. First, we must stop hiding behind outdated definitions and concepts of direct orders and fixed wages. We are using an analog lens to view our digital world, and millions of workers are slipping through the cracks because of it.
Second, we must ask ourselves if the current online business model is sustainable. Online platforms say that an increase in commissions for workers will cause them to raise their fees for customers, which could spell the end of the companies themselves. So, is it sustainable for online companies to operate under a business model that under-protects workers and merely shifts their operating costs onto them?
We must also look beyond our borders for solutions. While Indonesia’s voluntary and subsidized contributions for its informal workers are good intentions, they are mere gestures. India, despite its challenges, is working towards its Code on Social Security 2020 that will make online platforms contribute more to state coffers.
Malaysia has even surpassed India by passing its Gig Workers Act 2025 that protects its 1.2 million gig workers with a unique legal structure. Indonesia is the regions largest digital economy, and is being outpaced by its regional neighbors.
We are not just failing our workers. If we do nothing, we are failing to build a modern, resilient economy for the future. While there is now a slight closing of the gap between Geneva and Jakarta, Indonesia must now speed up its pace. It is not a threat but an opportunity for the country to take the lead in the region by embedding gig worker security and dignity into its digital economy.
What is needed are solutions to our issues. First, Indonesia must address its legal gray area by passing its proposed Gig Worker Protection Law that will clearly lay down its obligations to gig workers. Second, online companies with gig workers must be made to contribute to the Employment Social Security Agency Scheme (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) as in India and Malaysia, where it is now considered a cost of doing business.
Finally, online companies must be transparent with their algorithmic management and allow gig workers to collectively bargain. When gig workers mobilize in Jakarta, Surabaya, or Medan, they are voicing the same demands that were raised in Geneva, security, dignity and protection. By capturing the spirit of the ILO Convention, Indonesia will ensure that its digital age will bring profits for its digital platforms and decent work for millions of workers.