प्लॉट

App developers lured a massive labor force by promising flexible hours with no offices or bosses-but with gig workers from Uber, Amazon, Lyft and more in front of the camera, the human cost of disruption runs deep.

Uber, DoorDash, Citi Bikes and the like are part of the global explosion of convenience for consumers, and they provide desperately needed income opportunities for otherwise marginalized workers-but often with high hidden costs. Following several workers from around the world, director Shannon Walsh explores the economic and physical vulnerability of these enterprising wage earners. Eye-opening, timely, and relatable, this insightful film documents the latest iteration of the perennial struggle for workers' rights across the globe.—- Karen McMullen, DOC NYC

The gig economy is worth over US$5 trillion, and growing. But who are the workers who keep it all going? Propelled by the promise of a flexible independent lifestyle, a global workforce pieces together a livelihood task by task online, for such companies as Uber, Amazon and Deliveroo. But their reality is very different than what they'd hoped for. Conditions are often dangerous, pay can change without notice and work can dry up in an instant after one bad rating. Says Canadian director Shannon Walsh, "The magic of tech I was being sold wasn't magic at all."

From delivering food and driving ride shares, to tagging images for AI, millions of people around the world are finding work task by task online. The gig economy is worth over 5 trillion USD globally, and growing. And yet the stories of the workers behind this tech revolution have gone largely neglected. Who are the people in this shadow workforce? This documentary brings their stories into the light. Lured by the promise of flexible work hours, independence, and control over time and money, workers from around the world have found a very different reality. Work conditions are often dangerous, pay often changes without notice, and workers can effectively be fired through deactivation or a bad rating. Through an engaging global cast of characters, The Gig Is Up reveals how the magic of technology we are being sold might not be magic at all.