The Silent Stakeholders of the U.S. Labor Market

Online hiring platforms have reshaped how we connect people to work, yet they have systematically excluded job seekers from meaningful participation in the design and governance of these systems. This exclusion is not merely an oversight—it has led to a labor market that is structurally optimized for friction and failure. With over 27 million Americans effectively functioning as unpaid revenue generators in a $100B+ digital hiring industry, it is time to reimagine what a fair labor market should look like. This article argues that without job seeker reputation and accountability mechanisms, hiring platforms will continue to prioritize employer engagement over employment outcomes, eroding trust and fueling inefficiencies. By drawing from examples in ecommerce, housing, and transportation, we make the case for treating job seekers as stakeholders—not bystanders—in the labor economy.