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The gig economy is not straightforward self employment - those who work in business on their own account. Instead, a gig economy is a very specific term that implies that someone (or an organisation) is giving out work to someone who is more like an employee or that these de facto employees are expected to accept work, but are still classed as self employed (when they, perhaps, ought not to be) by working as sole traders or contractors. That is what defines a 'gig' as opposed to a set of duties or tasks in the more typical master/servant employee to employer basis. A 'gig is not a replacement term for completely voluntary acceptance and execution of client work at a negotiated fee on terms that suit both parties, which typified traditional self employed practices.