STATE DIGITALIZATION AND PLATFORM WORK AMONG MIGRANTS IN BRAZIL: OPPORTUNITIES OR TRAPS?

Abstract

The study addresses the transformations brought about by platform capitalism in Brazil—both at the state level and in migrants' lives—following the introduction of digital technologies. It discusses the theoretical daily challenges faced by state agencies in integrating sophisticated digital systems into their operations while maintaining standards of cybersecurity, interoperability, and interconnection. Furthermore, it highlights the positive and negative consequences that digitalization brings to migration governance and the relationship between government and society, particularly regarding personal data privacy and security, given the heightened vulnerability of migrants.The paper characterizes the contemporary transnational nature of diasporas, wherein migrants experience a "double presence" by acting simultaneously locally and transnationally, and demonstrates how these processes intersectionally affect their subjectivities. The existing digital divide and the barriers migrants face in accessing these technologies are also illustrated. Methodologically, this is a qualitative, exploratory study consisting of a narrative-based, critical review of the academic literature and other relevant sources. Its main findings include a description of the radical changes in work organization generated by digitalization, how labor becomes precarious, and the ill-defined role of so-called "autonomous workers" within platforms, exemplified through a detailed analysis of platform drivers and delivery workers.