Atieh Razavi Yekta, Suzanne Huot, and Heather O’Brien
WPS 2023/3
Abstract
Emerging Canadian data indicate that immigrants are more likely to participate in the platform economy compared to Canadian-born people. We conducted an instrumental case study with Persian Instagram creators in Metro Vancouver, Canada, to understand their motivations for and experiences of engaging in this type of gig work. Platform work, also known as gig work, refers to paid work organized around “gigs” (i.e., projects or tasks), and is facilitated through digital platforms that workers engage in on a term-limited basis without being formally employed by a particular organization. Methods included content analysis of Instagram policies and community guidelines and in-depth interviews with five Persian Instagram creators. Data collection is ongoing. Preliminary findings reveal how creators navigate the influence of Instagram algorithms through crafting an authentic online persona, deploying consistent content creation strategies, and empowering self-continuity as they experience occupational transitions following migration. Building on these findings, we develop a discussion that enriches our understanding of how these immigrant creators turned engagement metrics into strategies to grow, sustain, and build a career in Canada through Instagram.
KEYWORDS: immigration; platform economy; gig work; Instagram; creators; algorithms; Persian community, qualitative research