What does Prosus's buyout mean for JustEat drivers?

"JustEat existing bad practice: Just Eat Takeaway (JET) claim to 'believe in doing business responsibly and having a positive impact' - but it's hard to give much credence to that commitment when they have come under fire for sacking people using an automated system without meaningful explanations of why, and without any opportunity for workers to discuss their cases with JustEat management."

"This existing history with opaque algorithmic management suggests that drivers are unlikely to trust that JET have their best interests at heart as their new owners look toward potentially integrating AI into their system. How AI systems operate can be notoriously hard to explain - something that will become only more relevant as laws like the EU Platform Work Directive require platform companies to do a better job of informing workers about automated systems and decisions that affect them."

"JustEat in the UK have also been progressively worsening their offer to drivers. In 2021 - their Fairwork score in the UK was 6/10 but by 2023 it had fallen to 1/10."

Just Eat Takeway has been acquired by Prosus, a Dutch tech investor, with promises to revolutionize the business through artificial intelligence innovations aimed at improving efficiency and competitiveness against rivals like Uber Eats. However, drivers have reason for concern given JET's problematic track record. The company has previously terminated workers using automated systems without meaningful explanations or opportunities for appeal, using the euphemism 'deactivations' to describe these actions. JET's Fairwork score in the UK deteriorated dramatically from 6/10 in 2021 to 1/10 by 2023. The opacity of algorithmic decision-making, combined with new regulatory requirements like the EU Platform Work Directive demanding transparency about automated systems, creates significant challenges for implementing AI while maintaining worker trust and compliance.

Read at Privacy International