Digital Labor in the Middle East and Africa: Emerging Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities

12:30 - 13:00 (30min)

Welcome address

Sarrah Kassem, Myriam Raymond, Nagla Rizk, Antonio A. Casilli

13:00 - 14:20 (1h20)

The Political Economy of Digital Labor in MEA

Chair: Søren Bøgh Sørensen, Copenhagen Business School

› On the rising phenomena of Troll Farming: Electronic Committees and the Exploitation of Digital Labor in the Middle East - Myriam RAYMOND, GRANEM, Institut d'Administration des Entreprises (IAE) - Angers, Digital Platform labor 13:00-13:15 (15min)

› The Social Production of Disinformation: Labor, Ideology and Patriotism in Iranian Troll Farms - Marina Ayeb, University of Urbino; Selem Chaouachi, Institute of Press and Information Sciences 13:15-13:30 (15min)

› The Political Economy of Digital Labour in Bangladesh and MEA: Comparative Perspectives on Platform Work and Precarity - Dr. Md. Hasan Ali, Selinus University 13:30-13:45 (15min)

› Algorithmic Management, Data Practices and Worker Precarity on Ride-hailing Platforms in Kenya - GEOFFREY OCHIENG, Independent researcher 13:45-14:00 (15min)

14:20 - 14:30 (10min)

Break

14:30 - 15:00 (30min)

Special Report: Data Work in Egypt

Myriam Raymond, , GRANEM, Institut d'Administration des Entreprises (IAE) - Angers, Digital Platform labor (DiPLab); Lucy Neveux, HEC Paris (Chair: Paola Tubaro, CNRS, DiPLab))

15:00 - 16:20 (1h20)

Algorithmic Management and Workers’ Rights

Chair: Kauna Malgwi, Digital Rights and Mental Health Initiative Africa

› Algorithmic Governance and Regulatory Blind Spots: Insights from Turkey for Platform Labor in the Middle East and Africa - Zeynep Kıyak, Independent Researcher 15:00-15:15 (15min)

› From Plato to Platform: Political Philosophy and Algorithmic Governance of Labor in the Middle East and Africa - Mazhar ELSHORBAGI, Deraya University 15:15-15:30 (15min)

› Who is standing up for the workers - Setting the agenda for AI in the workplace regulation in the GCC - Mohamed Elimam, University of Bath [Bath], Kearney Middle East and Africa 15:30-15:45 (15min)

› Regulating platform work: a contribution to assessing the convergence of public policies in Africa - YOUSSEF BELHAJ, Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences 15:45-16:00 (15min)

16:20 - 16:30 (10min)

Day 1 closing remarks

Myriam Raymond, Paola Tubaro

Programme