My research examines how digital technologies shape work and workers’ well-being, with a particular focus on digital labor platforms and the human work behind AI. Tens of millions of people worldwide are engaged in AI data work. This work includes preparing and collecting data, annotating and classifying content, moderating material, and evaluating AI outputs. Although essential to AI production, these workers often remain invisible. I study their working conditions and well-being, and how platform design and algorithmic management shape their everyday work.

In my ERC Consolidator project, GHOSTWORK, we use a multi-method approach to examine the working conditions and well-being of online data workers in the European Union. Building on this research, my NWO Open Competition–M project, Digital Laborers: Crafting Policy with Behind-the-Scenes Microworkers, explores workers’ concerns and needs and how these can inform policy on platform work. It focuses in particular on the EU Platform Work Directive and on bringing workers’ perspectives into policy debates.

I draw on digital labor studies, human computation, organizational communication and research on occupational well-being. My research combines quantitative and qualitative methods, including surveys, diary studies, interviews and creative approaches. As part of GHOSTWORK, I co-produced the 26-minute documentary Ghost Workers with filmmaker Lisette Olsthoorn. Based on the 136 interviews with European data workers, the film explores their experiences of isolation and recognition. Six workers spent two days on a film set where their home offices were recreated, sharing and discussing their work. Their interactions made it possible to explore data work in ways individual interviews could not, while bringing workers’ experiences to a wider audience.

Selection recent publications:

• Dingelstad, J., Grommé, F., Taal, R., ter Hoeven, C. L., & Wallenburg, I. (2026). Reasoning with algorithms: Partiality and uncertainty in neonatal care. Big Data & Society, 13(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517261467351
• Morgan, R. A., van Zoonen, W., & ter Hoeven, C. L. (2023). Lost in the crowd? An investigation into where microwork is conducted and classifying worker types. European Journal of Industrial Relations, 29(3), 301–322. https://doi.org/10.1177/09596801231171997
• Scharp, Y. S., ter Hoeven, C. L., van Zoonen, W., Bakker, A. B., Gorgievski, M. J., den Dulk, L., & Koster, F. (2026). Hyperactive work? How platform work differs from other working arrangements in the quality of work. Management Research Review, 49(13), 139–164. https://doi.org/10.1108/MRR-09-2025-0756
• Schuller, S., ter Hoeven, C. L., & Scharp, Y. S. (2026). The volatility of microwork: Daily working conditions, worker well-being, and the role of motivation. In Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (pp. 6062–6071). https://doi.org/10.24251/HICSS.2026.717
• ter Hoeven, C. L. (Producer), & Olsthoorn, L. (Producer). (2024). Ghost Workers [Film]. https://www.lisetteolsthoorn.com/ghostworkers
• van Zoonen, W., ter Hoeven, C. L, & Morgan, R. (2023). Finding meaning in crowdwork: An analysis of algorithmic management, work characteristics, and meaningfulness. The Information Society, 39(5), 322–336. https://doi.org/10.1080/01972243.2023.2243262