Digital Intermediation in Paid Domestic Work in Argentina: An Analysis of Ambivalent Effects on Working Conditions

Abstract

Recent studies offer ambivalent conclusions on the effect of digital intermediaries in domestic and care work; while some suggest that the digital platforms exacerbate and perpetuate the precariousness of the sector as well as its underlying social inequalities, others contend that the effects of these technologies are not yet clear. Drawing on these perspectives but focusing specifically on the platforms’ organizational structures, this article contributes to a growing body of scholarship on the differential impact of digital intermediaries in this occupation. Based on a study of the digital platform Zolvers in Argentina, the article analyzes the effects on working conditions of three types of working arrangements: regular work managed by the digital intermediary, regular work managed by the employer household, and casual “one-time-only” jobs. This research uses a mixed methods approach, including a survey of 300 domestic workers, 20 semi-directed interviews, and two focus groups with workers using Zolvers.