The gig economy is a term used to describe the growing number of people who are working independently, often on a contract or freelance basis; temporary and part-time positions filled by independent contractors and freelancers. Web 0.3 is a term used to describe the third stage of the development of the World Wide Web, which is characterized by the rise of social media and other platforms that allow users to create and share content. Rebekah Bastian defined Web 3 in her article “2022 Prediction: The Influence Of Web3 On The Future Of Work published” in Forbes on 22 Dec. 2021 as Web3 is defined both by technology and philosophy, the technology involves a decentralized internet that is powered by blockchains. It has an enormous range of use cases–most of them not implemented yet–including cryptocurrencies, DeFi and NFTs. 

The gig economy and Web 0.3 are both providing new opportunities for work-styles. They are also making it easier for people to find work and to connect with others. There are a number of challenges related to the gig economy such as the lack of awareness about the gig economy, the lack of supporting infrastructure, the availability and accessibility of relevant platforms to help in finding jobs and other platforms for managing finances, and that the gig economy is a very competitive market and requires to continuously acquire and develop new competencies. In addition to other challenges or issues to be considered related to the lack of benefits for Gig workers, uncertainty of having steady work, exploitation that may occur, and taxation system. 

Web 3’s culture and ethos will be supporting freelancers through the decentralization which is a major feature of Web 3 and it is a natural growth for the Gig economy. Decentralization is the process of distributing power and control away from a central authority. This can be done through a variety of means, such as blockchain technology, peer-to-peer networks, and open-source software. 

Gig economy platforms such as:

• Upwork, PeoplePerHour, Freelancer, Guru: connects freelancers with clients who are looking for a variety of services, including writing, editing, design, development, and more.
• TaskRabbit: connects people with skills and services to those who need them. Tasks can range from small errands like picking up groceries to larger projects like assembling furniture.
• DoorDash: is a food delivery service that connects people with food from local restaurants.
• Instacart: is a grocery delivery service that connects people with groceries from local stores.
• Uber and Lyft: is a ride-sharing service that connects people with rides from drivers in their area.

Examples of how digitization and decentralization:

• Blockchain technology is a distributed ledger system that is used to record transactions and is often used to create secure and transparent financial systems.
• Peer-to-peer networks allow users to connect directly with each other without the need for a central server; for instance it is being used to share files, music, and movies.
• Open-source software is software that is developed and released under a license that allows anyone to use, modify, and redistribute it.

Suha Ayyash