Workers support for policies to address digitalization-related risks

What policies do individuals prefer in response to the labor market risks related to the ongoing processes of digitalization and automation? To what extent does being exposed to different forms of “technological risk” condition such preferences? In this paper, we advance existing research on this topic by distinguishing between three main dimensions of technological risks (general concern about negative impacts, concern about tasks in one’s job being automated, and technostress) and preferences for three types of policies related to these risks (compensation, retraining, and protectionist policies intended to slow down or prevent technological change). Using new survey evidence from Spain, we find little evidence that technological risks matter for preferences for compensation or retraining, but they do condition support for protectionist policies. We conclude with implications for politics in the current context of rapid digitalization.

Authors

Bicchi, N., Kuo, A., Gallego, A.