It seems like a simple enough principle. And yet when it comes to the nature of work in the digital platform economy, getting paid for that time is anything but a simple proposition.

Mark has a special appreciation for what constitutes value to a corporation. In a city where most Uber and taxi drivers are recent immigrants, he's an anomaly, a former Wall Street banker who was laid off in the recession and has turned to Uber for part-time work. (Mark and other Uber drivers I spoke to for this story, both in person and online, have requested that their real names not be used out of fear of reprisal from Uber or other employers.)

The usefulness Mark refers to is the data he generates for Uber—not when he has a fare, but when he is waiting to be summoned and isn't making any money. Uber drivers call that time without fares "dead miles." Drivers may spend that time roaming around waiting for their next request from the Uber app. Or they may drive from a low-density area where they dropped off their last passenger back to a high-density area where they are more likely to find a new passenger.