Jakarta (03/02/2025) – The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in online motorcycle taxi platforms has evolved into a system that actively governs, evaluates, and disciplines drivers’ work. Amid limited algorithmic transparency and weak legal protections for platform workers, Center for Digital Society (CfDS) Universitas Gadjah Mada, in collaboration with Pulitzer Center held an in-person workshop at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada Jakarta, titled “Strengthening the Role of Lawyers in Addressing Algorithmic Inequality on Online Motorcycle Taxi Platforms in Indonesia.”
The workshop aimed to bridge empirical research findings and investigative reporting with legal practice by strengthening the capacity of lawyers and digital rights advocates to understand, scrutinize, and challenge algorithmic systems that shape working conditions in the platform economy. The event brought together academics, researchers, and legal practitioners to discuss litigation pathways, regulatory gaps, and data-driven advocacy strategies.
During this research dissemination session, it was explained that AI systems on ride-hailing platforms operate across four main domains: dynamic pricing, labor allocation, route optimization, and automated suspensions. These features, often described as a black box, directly affect drivers’ income and job stability. Research findings show that 68% of drivers feel that order distribution is uneven while many believe that longer working hours increase their account “visibility” within the system. Half of the respondents also do not yet understand how their data is used by platforms.
Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) conducted in Jakarta and Gunungkidul from February to June 2025 revealed how drivers have developed terms such as “akun gacor” (high-performing accounts) and “akun anyep” (inactive or low-order accounts) to describe suspected algorithmic favoritism. The practice of “account therapy” has emerged as an adaptive strategy, reflecting uncertainty and heavy dependence on opaque system logic. The research also found that AI opacity is not merely a technical issue but part of a system design that maximizes driver availability while shifting risks onto workers.
Dr. Suci Lestari Yuana (FISIPOL UGM) highlighted governance issues in Indonesia’s online transportation sector which remains in an institutional void. Existing regulations, such as Ministerial Regulation (PM) 118/2018, have not been able to address the complexity of platform business models. Meanwhile, local governments have adopted varied fare policies leading to disparities and resistance. This situation deepens legal uncertainty for drivers and complicates efforts to establish comprehensive protections.
From a labor law perspective, Nabiyla Risfa Izzati, Ph.D. (Faculty of Law UGM) explained that the term “partnership relationship” used by platforms is not recognized within Indonesia’s labor law regime. As a result, drivers do not receive basic protections such as social security, wage certainty, and occupational safety safeguards. Partnership agreements based on civil law tend to be one-sided, weakening drivers’ bargaining position when facing algorithmic decisions such as automatic suspensions or income deductions.
The workshop also discussed international standards, including the draft ILO convention on digital platform workers, which emphasizes algorithmic transparency, proper employment classification, fair remuneration, social protection, and access to dispute resolution. Compared to developments in countries such as Singapore and Malaysia which have begun introducing specific regulations for platform workers, Indonesia is seen as needing to accelerate policy reform.
As a follow-up, the discussion produced several regulatory options including drafting a specific law for platform workers, redefining employment relationships in the Labor Law, or issuing a Presidential Regulation focused on basic protections for platform workers. Participants also stressed the importance of evidence-based litigation strategies, stronger data documentation, and collaboration among lawyers, researchers, driver organizations, and civil society.
The workshop reaffirmed that justice in the digital economy depends not only on technological innovation but also on the willingness to ensure algorithmic accountability and strengthen legal frameworks that protect workers. CfDS UGM and the Pulitzer Center reaffirmed their commitment to supporting research, advocacy, and multi-stakeholder collaboration to promote fair, transparent, and worker-centered platform governance in Indonesia.
Author: Azzallea Ega Riesta Christsanda
Editor: Eka Nur Raharja
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Center for Digital Society
Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada
For more information, please contact +62 857-9931-2383 (Masgustian) or email cfds.fisipol@ugm.ac.id
The Center for Digital Society (CfDS) is a research center under the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada. CfDS FISIPOL UGM focuses on the study of digital society. Through various research initiatives and public discussions, CfDS FISIPOL UGM provides educational resources to the public about the impact of technology on various aspects of life, including social, political, and economic dimensions.