On June 12, 2026, the International Labor Conference adopted the Decent Work in the Platform Economy Convention, 2026, the first international instrument focused on regulating work through digital platforms.
The Convention applies, in principle, to all digital work platforms and all platform workers, regardless of their employment status. Among other things, it requires measures regarding freedom of association, collective bargaining, the elimination of forced and child labor, non-discrimination, and occupational safety and health. It also sets forth rules on proper employment classification, compensation, social security, algorithmic transparency, human review of automated decisions, data protection, account deactivation, and dispute resolution mechanisms.
Although its implementation will depend on ratification and regulatory adaptation by each State, this Convention foreshadows a clear regulatory trend: companies that operate, contract, or act as intermediaries for services through platforms will need to review their contracting models, terms and conditions, deactivation policies, algorithmic processes, payment schemes, and personal data processing practices.
At VGA, we can help companies identify occupational and regulatory risks arising from this new international standard, as well as develop policies, contracts, and internal processes aligned with global trends in digital platform work.
