The Road to Techno-Serfdom: The Working Practices of Motorcycle Couriers in Ankara

On 10 October, I presented my study titled “The Road to Techno-Serfdom: The Working Practices of Motorcycle Couriers in Ankara”, derived from the working conditions section of my doctoral dissertation, at the 24th National Congress of Labour Economics and Industrial Relations held in Mersin between 9 and 12 October 2025.

In this paper, the working conditions of motorcycle couriers employed via digital labour platforms are analysed within the conceptual framework of “techno-serfdom”. Based on field research conducted with 17 motorcycle couriers across 7 different food and grocery delivery platforms operating in Ankara, the study examines the dependency relations engendered by the “tradesperson courier” model. The research findings indicate that platforms encourage couriers to establish sole proprietorships as a strategy to evade labour law obligations, thereby offloading market risks and all capital expenses onto the workers. It is demonstrated that although couriers appear legally “independent”, they are rendered de facto dependent on platforms through opaque algorithmic management systems, real-time monitoring, and digital reputation mechanisms. The study emphasises that this structure, wherein couriers possess the means of production yet are restricted to utilising them solely within the parameters set by the platform, constitutes a form of modern serfdom; thus, the legal recognition of these workers as employees is argued to be a necessity.

The doctoral thesis on which this study is based received an honourable mention in the 2026 Prof. Dr. Cahit Talas Social Policy Award.

The extended abstract proceedings book of the congress (ISBN: 978-605-4808-20-5) has been published in print. To access information regarding the congress programme, please click on the book cover image below.