Fiverr is an Israeli-founded digital marketplace connecting freelancers with clients worldwide for services such as graphic design, writing, coding, and marketing. Headquartered in Tel Aviv, Fiverr has become one of the largest platforms in the global gig economy.
Despite its branding as an empowering tool for freelancers, Fiverr has faced criticism for perpetuating exploitative labor conditions common to the gig economy: low wages, lack of labor protections, and the misclassification of workers as independent contractors. The platform takes significant commissions and offers tiered rankings that incentivize underpricing and overwork.
Fiverr’s roots in Israel and continued base of operations there make it complicit in the broader Israeli economy, which directly benefits from occupation and apartheid. The company has not distanced itself from the Israeli government or military-industrial infrastructure and continues to contribute tax revenues and economic value to the state. It has not taken any stance on Israeli aggression in Gaza or the West Bank, nor has it provided platform protections for Palestinian workers facing censorship or instability.
While Fiverr is not a formal BDS-listed company, its origin, ongoing operations, and silence amid escalating state violence contribute to its inclusion in grassroots boycott efforts.
Fiverr’s impact is categorized as high due to its structural role in normalizing exploitative gig work and its foundational ties to Israel’s economy. While it doesn’t directly supply weapons, surveillance, or military tech, it is part of the Israeli tech ecosystem that draws global investment and labor while shielding itself from accountability. Its continued success strengthens the Israeli economy and soft-power image abroad, particularly in sectors like innovation and entrepreneurship that are often disconnected from the realities of occupation. Its failure to implement or advocate for labor protections on a global scale further reinforces extractive digital labor practices.
Freelancer.com