In the Platform Economy Era, the Despicable Blind Spot Called Consumer Responsibility
Trusted and entrusted — in the end, only scars remain. Before commissioning AC cleaning, I trusted the Karrot Market ad. 'Local expert,' 'safety guarantee,' 'same-day visit' — sweet phrases.

Source: META-X metax.kr
In the Platform Economy Era, the Vile Blind Spot Called Consumer Responsibility -- Trusted Carrot, Only Wounds Remained: Before entrusting my air conditioner cleaning, I believed the Daangn Market advertisement. Local experts, safety guarantee, same-day visit -- sweet phrases. When actually seen, it was a business claiming trust and faith for 120,000 won cleaning fee. But the work result was appalling. A cleaner who had gone through subcontracting damaged the air conditioner display. Repair cost including service fee was twice the cleaning fee. This essay examines the structural problems of platform economy gig work: the platform (Daangn Market) connects service providers and consumers but bears no responsibility when the service goes wrong; the subcontracting chain means the person who actually does the work has no relationship with the platform or accountability to it; the consumer who believes they are contracting with a screened service provider is actually receiving service from the end of a subcontracting chain with no quality control; the platform responsibility gap: platforms profit from the transaction fee and the trust their brand name provides without bearing the operational risk of the services delivered through them; this is the platform economy fundamental tension -- the platform captures value from the trust relationship while externalizing the risk of service quality failure to the consumer and the end-service worker.
ⓒ META-X metax.kr
All rights reserved.
Free to share with attribution.
All rights reserved.
Free to share with attribution.

