Power in the Sharing Economy

Over the last decade, the emergence of peer-to-peer business models has empowered countless individuals across the globe to earn money and find new authentic services in the sharing economy. Likewise, it has become clear that the growth of a number of commercial sharing platforms, the breadth of their economic and social impact, and the conflicting interests among stakeholders have made the sharing economy a domain of controversies and rhetorical dispute. Against this background, the talk will discuss an ongoing Horizon 2020 project which is concerned with the consequences of the sharing economy on the way people behave, think, interact, and socialize across Europe. Particular emphasis will be placed on the role of the sharing platforms in establishing and maintaining power asymmetries, covering aspects such as dispute resolution mechanisms, terms and conditions, pricing, algorithmic control, and collective action. Finally, recommendations that are based on the idea that all stakeholders should strive to foster a European sharing economy that is both empowered and fair to all parties involved will be forwarded.