It does not have to be this way. Gig work allowed me access to earned income under circumstances where a regular job would have been impossible. It helped empower me to start solving what should have been unsolvable problems.

HN is a gathering place for people who start businesses. Yes, we need a remedy for the current abuses. But whatever Uber or Lyft or other existing companies are doing, you can be the architect of a better future by starting a company and not being a greedy bastard who feels they need billions while entry level employees don't make enough to support themselves.

The other thing that would help would be if we developed some guidelines for gig work done right.

Another thing that could help would be advocacy groups or informational sources.

I do my part by blogging about gig work that has the potential to become a middle class income and promoting businesses that do this well and are not tyrant overlords. It's a small thing and I don't have much reach. But we can choose to foster the success of gig businesses that treat workers well instead of merely labeling gig work the new serfdom and essentially assuming it cannot be otherwise.

Given my positive experience of gig work, I hate seeing the issue framed this way. I feel it throws the baby out with the bath water.