Digital Precarity and the Transformation of Labor Exploitation in Latin America: Rethinking Modern Slavery in Platform Economies

Abstract

This article examines the transformation of labor exploitation in Latin America within the context of digital platform economies. Moving beyond traditional conceptions of modern slavery centered on physical coercion, the study introduces the concept of digital precarity to capture emerging forms of structurally mediated exploitation. Drawing on a mixed methodological approach that combines legal analysis, institutional reports, and critical socio-economic theory, the paper identifies a growing misalignment between existing labor regulations and contemporary mechanisms of control, including algorithmic management and data-driven dependency. The findings demonstrate that exploitation increasingly operates through indirect coercion, economic vulnerability, and fragmented employment relations rather than overt force. This shift challenges the adequacy of international legal frameworks grounded in industrial labor paradigms. The article proposes the Digital Precarity Matrix as an analytical tool to assess varying degrees of labor exploitation across physical, economic, and digital dimensions. By focusing on Latin America as a region marked by informality and rapid digitalization, this research contributes to ongoing debates on labor transformation, human rights, and platform governance, offering policy-relevant insights for adapting labor protections to the digital age.