The Lived Experience of Freelance Job Insecurity: Psychological Impacts and Employment Social Security Protection Implications

Purpose: This study examines Indonesian freelance workers’ experiences of job insecurity, its psychological consequences, and implications for social security protection, particularly participation in BPJS Ketenagakerjaan for non-wage earners (BPU).Research Methodology: The study employed a qualitative phenomenological approach, using thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 30 Indonesian freelance workers in digital and mobility-based occupations.Results: The findings revealed multidimensional job insecurity, including AI-driven competition and relational exploitation, which contribute to psychological distress, such as burnout, anxiety, and reduced self-confidence.Conclusions: The study concludes that job insecurity among freelance workers extends beyond employment instability and constitutes a significant psychological and social protection challenge.Limitations: This study was limited to 30 freelance workers operating in selected digital and mobility-based occupations in Indonesia.Contributions: This study proposes a new theoretical framework linking job insecurity, psychological distress, and social security protection, highlighting how AI-driven competition, relational exploitation, and employment uncertainty shape freelance workers’ vulnerability in the Global South.