Online platforms are the most valuable and powerful firms in the world and their founders are among the wealthiest in the world. Google decides what we can find both through internet search and online maps. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are how we connect. Amazon controls over 40% of all online commerce—a position that was reinforced by the COVID pandemic. Governments around the world are scrambling to offset the power these firms have developed. Together, we will consider this power and what it means for our society and economy through discussion of current regulatory efforts and their likelihood of success. This course is free with paid OLLI quarterly or annual membership.
Suggested Reading: Platform Power and Regulatory Politics: Polanyi for the 21st Century by John Cioffi, Martin Kenney and John Zysman Social Science Research Network