Ripple Effect of Algorithmic Mechanism: Lessons from Global Gig Work Experience

The growth of platform-based gig work has changed work experience of labour. The algorithmic systems now playing a central role in assigning, monitoring, and compensating workers in gig platforms. This article brings together global research to examine how these digital platforms are reshaping work, relationships, and inequalities with the use of algorithmic mechanism. The study focus on empirical findings which takes a step back to explore the bigger conceptual patterns and gaps in the literature surrounding algorithmic labour. The discussion is framed firstly on the control algorithms exert over workers and the impact on autonomy, secondly how the evolving nature of work creates more uncertainty and precariousness, thirdly the ways in which gender and social inequality persist in platform work, fourthly the forms of resistance and efforts to regulate these platforms, and finally the long-term effects of algorithmic systems on workers' careers and job security. Through these themes, the review highlights how platforms, while often marketed as offering flexibility, actually reinforce existing inequalities, particularly for women and marginalized groups. The study highlights while many workers face growing challenges in these digital spaces, there are also signs of pushback whether through collective actions or new regulations. This article adds to ongoing conversations about how we can rethink and reshape the future of work in the age of algorithms. It calls for more inclusive, thoughtful approaches to labour regulation that put workers' rights, fairness, and sustainability at the forefront.