LOCATING AND THEORIZING PLATFORM POWER

This panel locates and theorizes platform power through five case studies, focussing on: 1) video sharing platforms, 2) app stores, 3) programmatic advertising networks, 4) labor staffing intermediaries, 5) cloud computing. Each study starts with the question: where do relations of dependence take shape on examined platform(s) how are these organized? Addressing this question, panelists hypothesize that is exerted, codified, operationalized around particular infrastructural services, which enable specific economic activities, such as advertising, content sharing, data analysis, management, hosting, so on. Examining specifically focus evolution platforms. Infrastructural Facebook Reels or Apple’s App Store each set standards provide gateways for complementors–content service providers, advertisers, talent agencies–to access other institutional actors, data, end-users. Yet, services also constantly adapted to local regulatory frameworks, retain end-users complementors, respond competitors in ecosystems. In turn, changes force complementors adapt their own operations continue offering products platform. It moments change, when reshuffled, becomes most visible. combination, studies will more detailed insights into ecosystem evolve over time.