Ben Waber reviewed Platform Capitalism by Nick Srnicek
An Intriguing But Simplistic Analysis
4 stars
This is a quick read, with Srnicek getting right to the point around what's unique about modern digital platforms and how to understand their business models and societal impact. Some of the hypotheses he advances are compelling, but the use of outdated and overly simplistic analytical frameworks severely constrains the analysis. In addition, the intervening years have significantly undercut many of the analyses here, and the choice to mostly ignore antitrust policy as a response to the issues surfaced in the book is strange. Overall, it's a good book to pick up if you're interested in these topics and only want to spend a few hours reading
This is a quick read, with Srnicek getting right to the point around what's unique about modern digital platforms and how to understand their business models and societal impact. Some of the hypotheses he advances are compelling, but the use of outdated and overly simplistic analytical frameworks severely constrains the analysis. In addition, the intervening years have significantly undercut many of the analyses here, and the choice to mostly ignore antitrust policy as a response to the issues surfaced in the book is strange. Overall, it's a good book to pick up if you're interested in these topics and only want to spend a few hours reading
