Fiverr, the world’s most famous freelancing website, has apparently banned the gigs of numerous Pakistani freelancers, causing considerable alarm among the country’s digital workers.
On Tuesday, Pakistani social media users began sharing images of Fiverr notifications telling freelancers that their gigs had been temporarily terminated owing to the country’s continuing internet service interruptions.
According to a popular screenshot posted on sites such as X (previously Twitter) and Facebook, Fiverr described the move as a reaction to the difficulties freelancers in Pakistan encounter as a result of unstable internet connections.
The message stated: “We recognize that internet services in your region are experiencing difficulties, making it difficult for you to continue your activities. However, the delay in your orders may not affect your ratings, so we have temporarily disabled the status of your gigs.”
Fiverr has informed freelancers that this is a temporary step that would not harm their ratings. The software attempts to safeguard freelancers from receiving negative feedback owing to delayed answers caused by internet problems, which might impact their reputation and future profits.
The announcement triggered a variety of reactions on social media. Some users voiced displeasure, stressing the potential detrimental impact on freelancers’ livelihoods.
A user Noorie said, “The killing of freelancers’ income in Pakistan should stop.” Another user, Ehtsham, highlighted the bigger consequences, writing, “More than 2.3 million freelancers labor in Pakistan. Their main source of income is the internet, but owing to frequent disruptions and sluggish speeds, their customers are leaving for other countries.”
Pakistan’s freelancing community makes a substantial contribution to the country’s economy, generating more than $500 million yearly. Fiverr, the world’s fourth-largest freelancing community, has recently taken moves that have many Pakistanis concerned about the future of online job.
Despite the enormous concern, other users questioned the accuracy of the claims, indicating that the problem may not be as pervasive as reported.
One user said, “Blue ticked accounts are lying, distributing one-year-old emails. I just went onto Fiverr without a VPN, and there is a green light signaling that I am online.”
To clarify the problem, some freelancers said that they had received alerts from Fiverr indicating that their projects were inaccessible during the last few days.
Fiverr freelancers rely on gigs to provide services to clients all over the world, and failing to finish orders on time due to internet troubles can result in low ratings and feedback, harming their reputation and impacting future orders.
Fiverr’s move to deactivate gigs is designed to safeguard both freelancers and clients from possible losses. While companies may readily hire freelancers in other countries, Pakistani freelancers may face substantial losses owing to missed chances.
In reaction to the crisis, Fiverr has given freelancers the opportunity to restart their gigs if they think their internet connectivity is stable. The platform’s statement concludes with advice for freelancers to manually reinstate their gig status.
