{"id":1134,"date":"2022-03-07T07:25:45","date_gmt":"2022-03-07T07:25:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jobtechalliance.com\/?p=1134"},"modified":"2024-03-18T06:31:26","modified_gmt":"2024-03-18T06:31:26","slug":"the-case-for-portable-reputation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stage.jobtechalliance.com\/index.php\/2022\/03\/07\/the-case-for-portable-reputation\/","title":{"rendered":"The Case for Portable Reputation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” admin_label=”Blog” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ background_color=”#f6f8fa” custom_margin=”0px||0px||true|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” custom_padding_tablet=”||100px||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”100px||100px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text module_class=”custom” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_4_font=”||||||||” max_width_tablet=”700px” max_width_phone=”700px” max_width_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”|0px||” custom_margin_phone=”|0px||” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” border_color_all=”#12eaa6″ border_color_top=”#c8102e” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

By\u00a0<\/span>Timothy Asiimwe<\/a><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text module_class=”custom” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_4_font=”||||||||” max_width_tablet=”700px” max_width_phone=”700px” max_width_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”|0px||” custom_margin_phone=”|0px||” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” border_color_all=”#12eaa6″ border_color_top=”#c8102e” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

We’ve previously sought to understand what the infrastructure for jobtech in Africa looks like (see here<\/a>). This article dives into a critical part of the jobtech stack – portable reputation.\u00a0<\/em>
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The emergence of gig platforms has reshaped how millions of people across the globe find work and earn a living. British economist Guy Standing<\/span> estimates<\/span><\/a> that by 2025, one third of all work will be mediated by digital platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the defining features of gig platforms is their reputation systems. At the heart of any reputation system is a mechanism that allows users to rate their interactions with other users on the platform. This feedback is then aggregated and crystallized into a rating that informs users about the trustworthiness of a particular individual. On a ride-hailing app for instance, this could be a driver\u2019s average star rating or the total number of rides completed. Similarly, on a freelance marketplace, it could be the number of jobs completed or the freelancer\u2019s project completion rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

For many independent workers, their online reputation is tantamount to their resume yet many gig platforms have been designed to keep accumulated reputation \u2018points\u2019 local to the platform on which they are earned. For instance, an Uber driver cannot export his ratings and driving history from Uber to Lyft. Similarly, a seller cannot display ratings and reviews earned on eBay on Amazon.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, the inner workings of some reputation systems are opaque and may disadvantage some platform users over others. To give an example, Upwork\u2019s <\/span>JSS<\/span><\/a> (Job Success Score) penalizes freelancers who take long absences from the platform, regardless of their past performance.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text module_class=”custom” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”20px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_4_font=”||||||||” max_width_tablet=”700px” max_width_phone=”700px” max_width_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”|0px||” custom_margin_phone=”|0px||” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” border_color_all=”#12eaa6″ border_color_top=”#c8102e” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Reputation is currency<\/strong><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”custom” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_4_font=”||||||||” max_width_tablet=”700px” max_width_phone=”700px” max_width_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”|0px||” custom_margin_phone=”|0px||” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” border_color_all=”#12eaa6″ border_color_top=”#c8102e” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Just like one\u2019s credit score can make or break one\u2019s ability to get a loan, online reputation systems could make or break one\u2019s ability to access work opportunities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many platform workers in Africa\u200a\u2014\u200aparticularly tradespeople on platforms like <\/span>Kandua<\/span><\/a> or <\/span>Lynk<\/span><\/a>, or microenterprises on platforms like <\/span>Skygarden\u200a<\/span><\/a>\u2014\u200ahave no CVs, few academic qualifications, and lack the traditional datapoints of professional credibility that are often used to get more work. This can be particularly challenging for those who lack social networks. Platform data therefore offers a unique opportunity to build up a professional reputation.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, multiple studies have shown that the reputation of sellers on online marketplaces significantly influences prospective buyers\u2019 willingness to pay. One <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> conducted on eBay found that sellers with better reputation consistently receive higher bid prices for auctioned goods.<\/span><\/p>\n

It follows then that one\u2019s online reputation is inextricably linked to one\u2019s earning potential. This reality is even more pronounced in African markets, where experts hypothesize that jobtech\u2019s evolution will take a different path than the North American and European winner-takes-all business models<\/a> (with <\/span>huge scale and very small margins<\/span><\/i>) and instead converge at <\/span>many smaller platforms, with <\/span><\/i>multihoming users<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u200a. Given this state of play, the capacity to port reputation is all-important.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/jobtechalliance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Picture1-1.png” title_text=”Picture1″ align=”center” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text module_class=”custom” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”20px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_4_font=”||||||||” max_width_tablet=”700px” max_width_phone=”700px” max_width_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”|0px||” custom_margin_phone=”|0px||” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” border_color_all=”#12eaa6″ border_color_top=”#c8102e” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Portable reputation can benefit platforms as well, not just workers<\/b><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”custom” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_4_font=”||||||||” max_width_tablet=”700px” max_width_phone=”700px” max_width_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”|0px||” custom_margin_phone=”|0px||” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” border_color_all=”#12eaa6″ border_color_top=”#c8102e” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

One reason platforms do not allow their users to export their reputation is because it creates platform lock-in and increases barriers to entry for competitors. In some markets, however, there are dynamics that create strong incentives for platforms to share their data with competing platforms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In Africa, for instance, job-matching platforms for highly skilled labour have very<\/span> high costs<\/span><\/a> of <\/span>KYC<\/span><\/a> and onboarding because vetting workers\u2019 qualifications is time consuming and involves many manual processes. Therefore, enabling the portability of verified reputation data could reduce platform onboarding costs as vetting\/KYC data is exchanged across platforms. Moreover, for the platforms heavily invested in setting up<\/span> training academies<\/span><\/a>, reputation porting could become an avenue for monetization. For instance, <\/span>SafeBoda<\/span><\/a> could create a pay-per-use API that allows its competitors or any other third-party to validate whether a rider completed training at their academy. This could allow SafeBoda to turn a cost center into a revenue source while helping its competitors save on their onboarding costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, unlocking reputation data such as ratings and reviews could increase the discoverability of platform workers on search engines and other discovery channels. For instance, if freelance platforms such as<\/span> Upwork<\/span><\/a> or<\/span> KuHustle<\/span><\/a> allow Google to index their ratings and reviews, people searching for \u201cthe best mobile developers Nairobi\u201d or \u201cthe 2 top web designers in Eldoret\u201d will get richer and more accurate results, resulting in more traffic to the gig platforms.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text module_class=”custom” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”20px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_4_font=”||||||||” max_width_tablet=”700px” max_width_phone=”700px” max_width_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”|0px||” custom_margin_phone=”|0px||” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” border_color_all=”#12eaa6″ border_color_top=”#c8102e” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Interoperability unlocks new possibilities<\/strong><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”custom” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_4_font=”||||||||” max_width_tablet=”700px” max_width_phone=”700px” max_width_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”|0px||” custom_margin_phone=”|0px||” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” border_color_all=”#12eaa6″ border_color_top=”#c8102e” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Reputation data has utility beyond enabling workers to secure more work. One conceivable use case for reputation data is in digital lending. In emerging markets, where the use of alternative data for credit scoring is on the rise, gig worker\u2019s online reputation and earning history provides a good indicator of a borrower\u2019s capacity to pay back.<\/span><\/p>\n

By limiting the portability of reputation data, gig platforms inadvertently hurt their users\u2019 ability to access the services of other applications that rely on this data to function. Moreover, the rise of open-banking APIs in the UK and Europe has shown that unlocking transaction data and sharing it with third parties can result in novel use cases and applications that were previously infeasible.<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, <\/span>Belvo<\/span><\/a>, a Latam-based open-finance platform, is building <\/span>APIs<\/span><\/a> to unlock data of gig economy workers. The early use cases of Belvo\u2019s APIs provide a glimpse of what is possible when gig platforms share data with third parties. <\/span>Heru<\/span><\/a>, one of the first apps built atop Belvo\u2019s APIs automates tax filing for gig economy workers. Before Belvo launched its APIs, it was practically impossible or needlessly complicated to build applications such as Heru.<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, removing artificial barriers around the sharing of platform reputation is likely to lead to new innovative applications that benefit both gig workers and the gig platforms.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/jobtechalliance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Virtual-City.jpeg” title_text=”Virtual City” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text module_class=”custom” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”20px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_4_font=”||||||||” max_width_tablet=”700px” max_width_phone=”700px” max_width_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”|0px||” custom_margin_phone=”|0px||” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” border_color_all=”#12eaa6″ border_color_top=”#c8102e” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Regulators have been slow to step up<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”custom” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_4_font=”||||||||” max_width_tablet=”700px” max_width_phone=”700px” max_width_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”|0px||” custom_margin_phone=”|0px||” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” border_color_all=”#12eaa6″ border_color_top=”#c8102e” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Though gig platforms have permeated so many spheres of our lives, there appears to be no regulatory stance on reputation portability.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2018,<\/span> GDPR<\/span><\/a> reformed the European data privacy landscape by giving individuals rights over their personal data, and protections against the misuse of their data. The <\/span>\u2018right to data portability\u2019<\/span><\/i> is one of the eight rights enforced by GDPR. It allows data subjects to <\/span>obtain data that a data controller holds on them and to reuse it for their own purposes<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While one might assume that the \u2018right to <\/span>data<\/b> portability\u2019 implies the \u2018right to <\/span>reputation<\/b> portability\u2019, GDPR does not expressly state this. As Helena Ersic<\/span> explains<\/span><\/a>, reputation scores do not fit GDPR\u2019s strict definition of data that falls under the right of portability because they are not \u201cprovided\u201d by the worker and usually concern more than one \u201cdata subject\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

At its core, GDPR is about giving our \u201cinternet identities\u201d the same rights that our \u201cphysical identities\u201d have always enjoyed. Likewise, reputation portability is about giving platform workers the same \u201cright to self-determination\u201d that traditional professionals such as engineers, teachers, lawyers and others have always enjoyed. If engineers can move from one company to another and still maintain their historical credibility, platform workers should be able to do the same.<\/span><\/p>\n

It follows then that regulation should err on the side of increased portability. Moreover, reputation portability shares the same ethos as the<\/span> open banking movement<\/span><\/a>, which was catalyzed by the European Parliament\u2019s<\/span> PSD2 directive<\/span><\/a> in 2015. By requiring banks to open their payment and data interfaces to third parties, PSD2 unleashed a new wave of innovation and competition in the European fintech ecosystem.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the gig economy matures, regulators across the globe need to step up and ensure that platform workers are able to exercise their right to self-determination and that innovation is not stifled.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text module_class=”custom” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”20px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_4_font=”||||||||” max_width_tablet=”700px” max_width_phone=”700px” max_width_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”|0px||” custom_margin_phone=”|0px||” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” border_color_all=”#12eaa6″ border_color_top=”#c8102e” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Reputation portability is coming<\/strong><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”custom” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_4_font=”||||||||” max_width_tablet=”700px” max_width_phone=”700px” max_width_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”|0px||” custom_margin_phone=”|0px||” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” border_color_all=”#12eaa6″ border_color_top=”#c8102e” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

If there\u2019s anything we can learn from the history of the internet, it is that user-friendliness always wins. As Ben Thompson <\/span>put it<\/span><\/a>: \u201cin consumer technology\u200a\u2014\u200aand increasingly enterprise\u200a\u2014\u200athe best user experience wins, and it is the best hedge against disruption\u201d. Since reputation portability is more user friendly than the opposite, history predicts that the industry will gradually move in the direction of increased portability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the past few years, there have been several developments that should make portability enthusiasts optimistic. In 2016, Uber launched a<\/span> Driver API<\/span><\/a> that allows third-party developers to access detailed ratings, trip count and more details for drivers who grant them permission, although access to the API is still limited to only approved partners. In order for such initiatives to succeed, there needs to be reciprocity amongst the gig platforms. In other words, it is only beneficial for platforms to share their data if it grants them access to the data of other platforms. This is a gap that startups such as Belvo could fill by coordinating the exchange of data across gig platforms, akin to the<\/span> role Plaid plays<\/span><\/a> in the open-banking space.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another noteworthy development is the creation of the <\/span>Verifiable Credentials standard<\/span><\/a> by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the body responsible for the governance of web standards. Verifiable credentials promise to make reputation and identity native to the internet by allowing web users to easily prove claims about their identity and reputation to anyone on the internet, through the use of <\/span>decentralized identifiers<\/span><\/a> (DIDs). <\/span>Yoma<\/span><\/a> is one of the early pioneers attempting to put these new capabilities in the hands of African workers. If adopted, verifiable credentials and decentralized identifiers have the potential to do for jobtech what <\/span>SSL<\/span><\/a> did for ecommerce. (W<\/span>e\u2019ll explore this more in a subsequent post.<\/span><\/i>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Relatedly, the rise of<\/span> web3<\/span><\/a> is in some ways a reaction to the<\/span> extractive nature<\/span><\/a> of many of today\u2019s dominant online platforms. Web3 platforms such as<\/span> Braintrust<\/span><\/a> attempt to fix the economic misalignment between platforms and their users by decentralizing control of the platform and allowing users to co-govern the platform. Moreover, web3 platforms are inherently interoperable and composable\u200a\u2014allowing users to carry their data across platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is not clear how soon reputation portability will become a reality for the millions of platform workers across the globe but the arc of the history of the internet is bending towards increased portability.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text module_class=”custom” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Montserrat|800|||||||” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_4_font=”||||||||” max_width_tablet=”700px” max_width_phone=”700px” max_width_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”|0px||” custom_margin_phone=”|0px||” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” border_color_all=”#12eaa6″ border_color_top=”#c8102e” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

The author is the co-founder and CTO of Ugandan jobtech start-up\u00a0Sellio<\/a>.<\/span><\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0Timothy AsiimweWe’ve previously sought to understand what the infrastructure for jobtech in Africa looks like (see here). This article dives into a critical part of the jobtech stack – portable reputation.\u00a0 The emergence of gig platforms has reshaped how millions of people across the globe find work and earn a living. British economist Guy Standing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":252173,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"1080","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[6],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.jobtechalliance.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1134"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.jobtechalliance.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.jobtechalliance.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.jobtechalliance.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.jobtechalliance.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1134"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stage.jobtechalliance.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1134\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":252181,"href":"https:\/\/stage.jobtechalliance.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1134\/revisions\/252181"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.jobtechalliance.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/252173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.jobtechalliance.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.jobtechalliance.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.jobtechalliance.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}