International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

Algorithmic Management and the New Digital Panopticon: A Study of Food Delivery Workers in Urban India

This study investigates how algorithmic management creates a “digital panopticon” for food delivery workers engaged with Swiggy and Zomato in Varanasi. Drawing on a sample of 50 delivery partners selected through purposive sampling; the research employs a mixed-method design combining structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that algorithmic controls, such as real-time GPS tracking, automated order allocation, customer-rating systems, and incentive-linked surveillance, shape workers’ labour processes, autonomy, and everyday decision-making. Most participants reported constant pressure to maintain performance metrics, fear of penalties, and limited ability to negotiate work conditions. The study also uncovers psychological strains associated with continuous monitoring and the normalization of self-discipline, as workers adjust their behaviour to meet algorithmic expectations. While algorithmic systems enhance efficiency and speed, they simultaneously produce precarity, heightened work intensity, and a sense of invisible control. The research concludes that platform work in Varanasi exemplifies a new regime of digital labour discipline, where surveillance and data-driven managerial techniques restructure worker–platform relations.