Impact of the Digital Economy on Women's Economic Empowerment in Flexible Employment: Evidence From the Chinese General Social Survey (2012–2021)

ABSTRACT The digital economy stimulates economic growth and offers new opportunities for women's flexible employment. Utilizing the “Resources‐Agency‐Achievements” economic empowerment theory and data from the Chinese General Social Survey (2012–2021), alongside provincial digital economy development data, this study estimates a fixed‐effects instrumental‐variable (FE‐IV) model to analyze the digital economy's impact on women's economic empowerment in flexible employment. Digital economic development significantly boosts this empowerment, and the KHB results are consistent with a mediating role for gender role attitudes. Post‐2015, following the “Internet Plus” initiative, the empowerment effect intensified, especially benefiting women with urban registration, higher education, and higher incomes. However, women aged 40 and older experience fewer benefits, and entrepreneurial activity is negatively associated with digital economy development. The study constructs a composite empowerment index and examines gender role attitudes as a mediator, thus expanding the theoretical framework. Policy recommendations include enhancing digital skills training, improving social security for flexible employment, developing women‐friendly digital tools, and promoting female success stories.