Platform cooperative

A platform cooperative is a website, mobile app, or other kind of online platform that is structured as a cooperative, owned democratically by its employees, customers, users, or other key stakeholders. The term is generally associated with a broader movement for "platform cooperativism."[1]

History

The term "platform cooperativism" was coined by Trebor Scholz in a 2014 article entitled "Platform Cooperativism vs. the Sharing Economy," in which he criticized the sharing economy, including firms such as Uber, Airbnb and TaskRabbit, for its poor treatment of workers, and called for democratically controlled co-operative alternatives that "allow workers to exchange their labor without the manipulation of the middleman".[2] At around the same time, journalist Nathan Schneider published another article, "Owning Is the New Sharing," documenting a variety of existing projects already starting to practice cooperative models online.[3] Together, Scholz and Schneider went on to organize the first conference on the subject, Platform Cooperativism, at the New School in November 2015,[4] and to edit the book Ours to Hack and to Own: The Rise of Platform Cooperativism, a New Vision for the Future of Work and a Fairer Internet.[5]

Before Scholz's coinage, several others were proposing similar ideas, including the Italian cooperative federation Legacoop in its 2012 Cooperative Commons initiative and Oakland-based lawyer Janelle Orsi, who proposed a cooperative "next sharing economy" earlier in 2014.[6]

Examples

Many platform co-operatives use business models similar to better-known apps or web services, but with a cooperative structure. For example, there are numerous driver-owned taxi apps that allow customers to submit trip requests and notify the nearest driver, similar to Uber.[7][8]

The Internet of Ownership website includes a directory of the platform co-op "ecosystem."[9]

Fairmondo

Fairmondo is an online market place for ethical goods and services, that originated from Germany and has expanded to UK. Joining as a stakeholder is open for all and the minimum share is limited to an affordable amount, with stakeholders exercising a democratic control through one-member-one-vote principle.[10]

Stocksy United

Stocksy is a co-operative that accepts and provides royalty-free stock photos and is owned by the artists themselves.[11] Gaining membership happens either by requesting a portfolio review or by participating in periodic social media assignments to win an invitation.[12]

Loconomics

Loconomics is a worker owned US-based online and mobile marketplace that allows customers to find freelance labour to small, everyday tasks, such as childminding or petcare. Instead of charging a commission, joining as an owner is open for all for a monthly ownership fee, which also allows the members to vote or stand as a candidate for the co-operatives board of executives.[13]

External links

References

  1. ↑ Sutton, Maira (16 August 2016). "A Shareable Explainer: What is a Platform Co-op?". Shareable.
  2. ↑ Scholz, Trebor (5 December 2014). "Platform Cooperativism vs. the Sharing Economy". Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  3. ↑ Schneider, Nathan (21 December 2014). "Owning Is the New Sharing". Shareable.
  4. ↑ "Platform Cooperativism: The Internet, Ownership, Democracy".
  5. ↑ Scholz, Trebor; Schneider, Nathan (2016). Ours to Hack and to Own: The Rise of Platform Cooperativism, a New Vision for the Future of Work and a Fairer Internet. OR Books. ISBN 978-1-682190-62-3.
  6. ↑ Orsi, Janelle (17 October 2014). "The Next Sharing Economy".
  7. ↑ "Profile of People's Ride: a co-operative, driver-owned alternative to Uber". 10 August 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  8. ↑ Schneider, Nathan. "Denver Taxi Drivers Are Turning Uber's Disruption on Its Head". The Nation. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  9. ↑ "The Internet of Ownership: Directory".
  10. ↑ "Fairmondo". Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  11. ↑ Pontefract, Dan. "Platform Cooperatives Like Stocksy Have A Purpose Uber And Airbnb Never Will". Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  12. ↑ "iStockphoto founder launches Stocksy, an artist-owned stock photo service". Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  13. ↑ Coop., Loconomics. "Loconomics Cooperative". Retrieved 25 November 2016.
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