Own This! Av R. Trebor Scholz

The essential introduction to Platform Cooperativism that shows how workers can leverage digital technology to achieve emancipation on their own termsWhat if taxi drivers in New York City or rickshaw operators in Bangalore could start a worker-owned and operated alternative to Uber with stable hourly wages? What if domestic workers could double their income by establishing their own platform? Imagine platforms like Twitch, Twitter, and Roblox were owned by their streamers, users, and creators? What if small fishing communities in Mexico or farmers in Kerala had the power to determine what data they collect about their work and how they utilize that data?Such Platform Cooperatives are not a figment of the utopian imagination, but rather a reality that is transforming industries today. In this book, researcher and activist Trebor Scholz explores how these new forms of business, powered by peer principles, are paving the way for a more equitable gig economy that benefits everyone.