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Surveillance, Classification, and Social Inequality in Informational Capitalism: The Relevance of Exploitation in the Context of Markets in Information
Überwachung, Klassifikation und soziale Ungleichheit im informationellen Kapitalismus: Die Relevanz der Ausbeutung im Kontext der Informationsmärkte
[journal article]
Abstract This contribution deals with classification processes as an element of surveillance in the context of the growing relevance of (online) markets in information and the blurring line between production and consumption in current informational capitalist societies. Using the example of social media, I ... view more
This contribution deals with classification processes as an element of surveillance in the context of the growing relevance of (online) markets in information and the blurring line between production and consumption in current informational capitalist societies. Using the example of social media, I argue that classification does not only appear as feature of the demand and supply side of information markets but is also an aspect of informational production. In doing so, the paper discusses insights from critical surveillance and advertising studies and relates it to important strands of class theory in order to learn about the social mechanism that establishes inequality between Internet service owners and users. The paper argues that a (revised) notion of exploitation and antagonistic social relations should not be omitted from theorizing the information economy. Exploitation establishes an antagonism between all Internet users and the owners of the means of communication, surveillance, and classification.... view less
Keywords
classification; capitalism; Internet; user; digitalization; social inequality; information; market; social class; monitoring; producer; social media; information society; theory; advertising; communication medium
Classification
General Sociology, Basic Research, General Concepts and History of Sociology, Sociological Theories
Sociology of Communication, Sociology of Language, Sociolinguistics
Interactive, electronic Media
Free Keywords
exploitation; online economy; markets in information
Document language
English
Publication Year
2017
Page/Pages
p. 77-102
Journal
Historical Social Research, 42 (2017) 1
Issue topic
Markets and Classifications: Categorizations and Valuations as Social Processes Structuring Markets
DOI
https://doi.org/10.12759/hsr.42.2017.1.77-102
ISSN
0172-6404
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed