Introduction: Mapping the Evolution of the Platform Society

Every minute of our everyday lives is now dominated by digital platforms, whether we are at work, on vacation or caring for others. While writing this introduction – on a shared file hosted by a cloud storage service platform – the smart watch of one of the authors reminded her to take a break and walk to reach the daily target of her personalised exercise plan. During the break, she scrolled a social network to get the latest news about the Democratic Party's candidate at the next US election; and while waiting for the bus on the way home, she listened to music and podcasts on a streaming platform. The list could go on for pages, and each reader could add numerous other examples. Our social life is tightly linked to multiple digital platforms; platforms, in turn, shape and are shaped by the social structure from their onset to their everyday functioning.