Platforms and exploitation in informational capitalism

The main objective of this chapter is to relate different types of platforms with different kinds of capitalist exploitation within informational capitalism. To do so, it begins by characterizing the transition from industrial capitalism to informational or cognitive capitalism. Although it is indisputable that digital technologies and the Internet played a major role in that transition, other aspects must be discussed as well to define the new stage and distinguish two phases within it. Then, it presents a definition of capitalist exploitation and discusses three kinds that are crucial to give an account of platform models of capital accumulation in this stage: exploitation through alienation, exploitation through reproduction and exploitation through attention. Finally, it moves on towards an overarching typology of subjects potentially exploited by capitalist platforms. This includes workers behind capitalist platforms but especially through-the-platform productive subjects: self-employed owners, gig labour and prosumers. It is only then that the pieces of the puzzle can be put together to present a typology of exploitation of platform work in informational capitalism.