Platforms : a critical introduction / Anne Helmond, Fernando van der Vlist.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Helmond, Anne, 1979- author.

Vlist, Fernando van der, 1991- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Computer networks--Social aspects.

Computer networks.

Computing platforms--Social aspects.

Computing platforms.

Gig economy--Social aspects.

Gig economy.

Physical Description:

224 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

illustration

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Polity, 2026.

Summary:

"From Instagram and Uber to Alibaba and ChatGPT, platforms shape nearly every aspect of life. They influence the ways we communicate, work, study, shop, vote, and connect. But what exactly are platforms? How do they work and how did they become so powerful? Platforms offers a critical introduction to platforms and platformisation. Written by two leading experts, the book explains how platforms operate as companies, as services, and as technologies or infrastructures. Drawing on real-world examples, Anne Helmond and Fernando van der Vlist unpack key concepts such as platform power, governance, and strategy. They demonstrate that platforms shape economies, cultures, and institutions, and reveal their power to generate value, influence public life, and create new forms of dependence and control. Pedagogical features and practical approaches to analysing platforms are also provided."-- Provided by publisher.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 196-212) and index.

ISBN:

9781509568109

1509568107

9781509568116

1509568115

OCLC:

1602628370

Publisher Number:

CIPO000405108