Critique of data platforms must target power relations, not ethics lapses

Evidence

It is not enough to condemn today’s “advances” in social knowledge for not caring about human subjects. Critique must begin from the fact that what now passes for social knowledge is produced through social relations that have entirely different power implications from those that underlay earlier forms of social knowledge. — Nick Couldry & Ulises A. Mejias, The Costs of Connection, 443

Categorization

• DEEPTHINKING: The methodological pivot — that because the underlying social relations are different, earlier forms of ethical critique are inadequate — is a paradigm-shifting move for how to frame platform critique.
• XREF: connects to: The key platform struggle is denaturalizing data abstraction, not securing payment for data — Nick Couldry & Ulises A. Mejias, The Costs of Connection: How Data Is…, 781; Platform power rests on structural influence over data, not revenue size. — Nick Couldry & Ulises A. Mejias, The Costs of Connection: How Data Is…, 206; Resistance to data colonialism must confront global capitalism, not just platforms — Nick Couldry & Ulises A. Mejias, The Costs of Connection: How Data Is…, 650 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Resistance to data colonialism must confront global capitalism, not just platforms #expands (0.82) — Nick Couldry & Ulises A. Mejias, The Costs of Connection, 650