Technology-Based Gig Economy: Digital Innovation and Economic Inequality from the Perspective of Islamic Economics
Keywords:
Gig economy, Maqāṣid al-sharīʿah, Digital Technology, Islamic Economics, Social JusticeAbstract
This study aims to analyze the technology-based gig economy as a form of digital innovation as well as an arena of economic inequality from the perspective of Islamic economics. The research adopts a qualitative approach using a literature review method, strengthened by interviews, through an examination of national and international journal articles, reports from global institutions, and literature on Islamic economics and the digital economy. The findings indicate that the gig economy expands access to employment and enhances labor market efficiency through digital platforms and algorithmic management. However, this system also generates structural challenges, including income uncertainty, low worker bargaining power, non-transparent algorithmic dominance, and the lack of adequate social protection. From the perspective of maqāṣid al-sharīʿah, these conditions potentially conflict with the principles of justice (ʿadl), public interest (maṣlaḥah), and contractual clarity, and may involve elements of gharar in wage determination mechanisms and work allocation. This study emphasizes the importance of integrating Islamic economic values into platform governance and policy frameworks to foster a more equitable, sustainable, and socially oriented gig economy.
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