Living on the Edge: Brazilian Creative Workers in the Gig Economy During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The aim is to analyse the situation of Brazilian creative workers in the gig economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main argument indicates that, despite the opportunities for entrepreneurship brought by gig economy during the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazilian creative workers may be open to exploitation and lower wages and show lower levels of satisfaction compared to the creative activities they used to have before the pandemic. The workers became even more exposed to the lack of long-standing protections—such as a minimum wage, safety and health regulation, retirement income, health insurance, and worker compensation—and risks that were previously shouldered by employers and the state, including responsibility for bodily injury, damage to tools and assets, coverage between paid gigs, financial malfeasance by customers, and harassment.