Sharing Economies and Digital Platforms: Between Access and Social Inclusion in Colombia

Abstract

Latin-American countries have high rates of inequality and social exclusion that reflect issues such as the lack of opportunities as well as disparities in growth, development, and well-being between the center and the periphery. This leads to a permanent struggle between defenders and critics of the traditional capitalist model which feeds into the expansion of illegal economies and armed conflict that further affects the well-being of communities and environmental sustainability. Digital platforms have enabled the social inclusion of diverse communities in trade and transactional mechanisms. However, the emergence of economies based on internet platforms has resulted in the appearance of almighty corporations such as Uber that, instead of helping to close the social gap, create new work domination devices, and mistake inclusion for access to digital technologies as a means to seize development opportunities. This article reflects on social inclusion as facilitated by information and communication technologies (ICT)—in the context of sharing economies—to discuss and think about the advantages and disadvantages of disruptive changes following some cases of organizations in Colombia that showcase progress in terms of access and others that evidence improvement regarding inclusion.