Definition:
Labour externalisation is the shifting of work, costs, or risks from organisations onto individuals, contractors, users, or communities.
Usage Context:
Seen in gig economies, platform moderation, self-service systems, unpaid digital labour, care work, and creator platforms.
Critical Note:
Externalised labour is often framed as flexibility or empowerment. In practice, it removes protections, disperses responsibility, and normalises unpaid or underpaid work while preserving institutional profit and control.
Related Terms:
Risk Transfer, Precarious Labour, Emotional Extraction, Platform Dependency, Value Extraction