An Oasis of Equality? Gender, Race, Peer Support, and Inequality in Online Gig

Microtask platforms like MTurk provide a unique work context, where gender and race are hidden. This anonymity largely eliminates the possibility of differential treatment based on gender or race. However, preliminary work by sociologist Jeremy Reynolds and others show that this anonymity has not eliminated gender differences in earnings or racial differences in stress. Existing evidence suggests that the typical focus on worker characteristics may overlook the role of peer support among gig workers in generating these inequalities. It is also unclear if patterns of inequality on MTurk, which provides workers with very little support, are present on platforms like Prolific that provide workers more protection. Reynolds will examine the experiences of microtask workers on MTurk and Prolific (1,200 on each platform). He asks: (1) How are gender and race related to stress, the ability to meet earnings goals, and control over work hours? (2) To what extent can gender or racial differences in those outcomes be explained by variations in peer support (sharing of tools, use of forums, and direct contact with peers)? (3) How and why do these relationships differ between MTurk and Prolific?