Questioning Controlled Consumption in Publishing: Artistic Responses to Tracking, Control, and Access

Abstract

This article focuses on a series of experimental publishing works, emerging from the field of art and design, that react to the augmented possibilities that editorial platforms in a broad sense (e.g. Amazon and Apple) have to control reception, limit access and track use. Furthermore, the projects in the discussion question the modifications of ownership around digital artefacts. These projects can be understood as “conversation pieces” that aim to provoke a debate around the issues they want to address. They have a strong communicative value, and as such highlight aspects of digital publishing rarely addressed by designers and publishers.