Abstract
This paper addresses the relation between capital and digital labour in the context of so-called platform capitalism. Based on the taxonomy proposed by A. Casilli - on-demand labour, crowdwork or microwork, and social media labour - I argue that the concept of exploitation is not sufficient to fully account for the logic of platform capitalism, as it only makes up one of its dimensions. The other central dimension is that which targets data capture, which I call, using Harvey's term, ‘dispossession’. Far from proposing a fixed delimitation of the concept of labour, I argue that the two dimensions operate together and, in many cases, it is difficult to isolate them, but they do demand the invention of different political strategies.
Highlights
Digital platforms are profoundly transforming the everyday life of an everincreasing number of users, but have had a major impact within the context of the shift in the productive paradigm of the so-called ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ (Loffler & Tschiesner, 2013; World Economic Forum, 2016).In his book Platform Capitalism, Nick Srnicek argues that digital platforms constitute a new business model, they are characterised by providing the infrastructure to intermediate between different user groups, by displaying monopoly tendencies driven by network effects, by employing cross-subsidisation to draw in different user groups, and by having a designed core architecture that governs the interaction possibilities. (Srnicek, 2016: 27)Work organisation, labour & globalisation Volume 15, Number 1, 2021In line with Srnicek’s argument, a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has indicated that ‘in contrast to traditional firms, the valuation of platforms does depend on sales and profit margins, but can significantly depend on the valuation of their user networks (individuals or firms) and the data generated by their users’ (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2017: 207).Here we are confronted with a twofold logic of capital that characterises platform capitalism on the one hand by a traditional logic of ‘sales and profit margins’, and, on the other, by a logic that is specific to platform capitalism, based on the valuation of users and data.If this object of analysis is approached from a Marxian framework, one must ask how the relation between capital and labour is reconfigured in the case of so-called digital labour
In his book Platform Capitalism, Nick Srnicek argues that digital platforms constitute a new business model, they are characterised by providing the infrastructure to intermediate between different user groups, by displaying monopoly tendencies driven by network effects, by employing cross-subsidisation to draw in different user groups, and by having a designed core architecture that governs the interaction possibilities. (Srnicek, 2016: 27)
My argument is that platform capitalism must be approached through the appropriate conceptual tools and that the twofold logic consists of the articulation of exploitation, in a modern sense, with what, drawing on David Harvey (2004), I call ‘dispossession’, which implies an expanded conception of nature which I take from the Italian philosopher Paolo Virno
Summary
Digital platforms are profoundly transforming the everyday life of an everincreasing number of users, but have had a major impact within the context of the shift in the productive paradigm of the so-called ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ (Loffler & Tschiesner, 2013; World Economic Forum, 2016).In his book Platform Capitalism, Nick Srnicek argues that digital platforms constitute a new business model, they are characterised by providing the infrastructure to intermediate between different user groups, by displaying monopoly tendencies driven by network effects, by employing cross-subsidisation to draw in different user groups, and by having a designed core architecture that governs the interaction possibilities. (Srnicek, 2016: 27)Work organisation, labour & globalisation Volume 15, Number 1, 2021In line with Srnicek’s argument, a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has indicated that ‘in contrast to traditional firms, the valuation of platforms does depend on sales and profit margins, but can significantly depend on the valuation of their user networks (individuals or firms) and the data generated by their users’ (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2017: 207).Here we are confronted with a twofold logic of capital that characterises platform capitalism on the one hand by a traditional logic of ‘sales and profit margins’, and, on the other, by a logic that is specific to platform capitalism, based on the valuation of users and data.If this object of analysis is approached from a Marxian framework, one must ask how the relation between capital and labour is reconfigured in the case of so-called digital labour. KEY WORDS Platform capitalism, digital labour, exploitation, dispossession, big data
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
