Could not the IRS fix this in one swoop by declaring that "gig workers" are employees?
The real fix is to make it so their main job is hydrating enough, or the thing half the country hates the idea of (public fountains). IRS can't do either. Independent contracting is still a valuable mode of work, when the contractors are paid enough. So rather than ban forms of gig work, we need to provide good paying jobs and social services, and get the rich to pay their fair share.