We will develop our argument through the following steps. In doing so, we outline a framework to conceptualize the different responsibilities of key stakeholders, users, platforms, and governments, as well as consider how these actors can be empowered to effectively take up these responsibilities. It is this question about the adequate allocation of responsibility that this article will tackle. The question of where the responsibility of the platform ends and that of user starts is a notoriously difficult one. At the same time, it is clear that the power relationship between users and platforms is unequal, not least because of the opacity of platform operations. It is not only platforms but also active users that play a role in the realization or erosion of public values on these platforms. Third, the division of labor between users and platforms is a further complicating factor. Second, there is the complexity and black-boxed nature of the platform architecture and the underlying algorithms. First, the dominant online platforms are US-based transnational corporations which take global architectural decisions but store and process most user data in the US. How they should do this is far from straightforward. We will argue that platforms need to take up their role as organizational and regulatory actors with regard to key public values. As we will demonstrate in this article, their commercial interests and corresponding strategic motives do not always align well with those of public institutions, which, despite the dominant neo-liberal rhetoric, remain important organizational and regulatory actors. Instead, in many cases they appear to be further intensifying the pressure of the market on important public values, such as transparency and non-discrimination in service delivery, civility of public communication, and diversity of media content. However, in practice, online platforms have, to date, not fulfilled this promise. Online platforms hold the promise of empowering individuals to effectively take up their role as producers of public goods and services, as well as to act as autonomous and responsible citizens. As such, they are celebrated as instruments of what has become known as “participatory culture” and the “sharing” or “collaborative” economy (Botsman and Rogers 2011 Jenkins 2006 Shirky 2008). These platforms typically appear to facilitate public activity with very little aid from public institutions. In general, online platforms can be defined as socio-technical architectures that enable and steer interaction and communication between users through the collection, processing, and circulation of user data ( Van Dijck, Poell, De Waal forthcoming Plantin et al. These intermediaries may be general-purpose platforms for social communication and information sharing (e.g., Facebook, Twitter), or specific platforms in various sectors such as education, transportation, and hospitality (e.g., Coursera, Uber, Airbnb). The rise of digital intermediaries in the form of online platforms is accelerating and further complicating this trend. This societal arrangement has since come under increasing pressure due to economic liberalization and the privatization of public institutions and services (Dean 2007 Garland 1996 Miller and Rose 2008). Throughout the twentieth century, state institutions in Western Europe were primarily responsible for the organization of public space and for safeguarding public values. This paper develops a conceptual framework for the governance of the public role of platforms, and elaborates on the concept of cooperative responsibility for the realization of critical public policy objectives in Europe. As such, they have started to play a vital role in the realization of important public values and policy objectives associated with these activities, including freedom of expression, diversity, public safety, transparency, and socio-economic equality. Online platforms, from Facebook to Twitter, and from Coursera to Uber, have become deeply involved in a wide range of public activities.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |