Between Autonomy and Algorithm: The Informal IT Tactics of Hyderabad’s Cab Drivers

This paper examines how ride-hailing drivers in Hyderabad, India, respond to the constraints of algorithmic management. Through interviews with 14 cab drivers we explore how workers navigate opaque systems, shifting incentives, and limited recourse. Drivers adopt informal tactics, such as offline rides, to regain autonomy. Many coordinate through WhatsApp groups or join grassroots cooperatives, which offer welfare support and collective bargaining. Some also engage in informal reintermediation by hiring others or managing small fleets. We contribute to CSCW by showing how global platform models are reshaped by local practices and informal infrastructures. Our findings highlight the need for transparent platform design, worker-led organising, and supportive policy in the Global South.