In highly unequal and segregated labour markets across Latin America, platform work has emerged as a critical global phenomenon that demands comparative analysis and innovative methodological approaches. Traditional instruments for measuring employment have proven inadequate for capturing these new work modalities, as evidenced by CEPAL-OIT (2021), which notes a significant gap in robust, high-quality official statistics within the region.

Central to this roundtable is introducing an innovative action research methodology—a framework we have successfully developed and implemented in 40 countries. This methodology integrates iterative, participatory research with formulating actionable policy outcomes, offering a dynamic approach to understanding and improving data collection practices. By bridging empirical inquiry with real-world impact, our approach provides a fresh lens to examine the complex interplay of technological adoption and enduring historical inequality and labour exclusion patterns.

Building on this methodological innovation, our ongoing research in seven South American countries—Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Perú, and Uruguay—yields preliminary findings that underscore its utility. Drawing on over one hundred interviews with delivery, passenger, and cloud workers (Vallas & Schor, 2020; Soriano, 2023), our study delves into the social imaginaries that underpin shared practices and justifications within the platform economy. These qualitative insights have been instrumental in establishing a set of essential criteria for the measurement and regulation of this sector. Furthermore, a pilot case study in Uruguay demonstrates how re-examining anonymised official labour data can lead to the development of proxy indicators that more accurately reflect the scope of platform work, offering potential for replication across the region.

By linking methodological innovation with empirical research, this roundtable aims to contribute significantly to a more nuanced understanding of contemporary labour dynamics while simultaneously refining the tools available for measuring and regulating platform work.