| Title | Platform philanthropy, ‘public value’, and the COVID-19 pandemic moment |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Authors | Cinnamon, Jonathan |
| Journal | Dialogues in Human Geography |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pagination | 242-245 |
| ISSN | 2043-8206 |
| Abstract | This commentary examines the COVID-19 pandemic as a moment of strategic advancement for digital platforms. Focusing on the redeployment of Google Maps data for tracking adherence to mobility restrictions, I argue that demonstrating such ‘public value’ uses of Google’s vast geolocation and behavioral data forms part of a larger effort to strengthen their economic and political position in the face of two existential threats—declining advertising revenues and platform regulation. |
| URL | https://doi.org/10.1177/2043820620933860 |
| DOI | 10.1177/2043820620933860 |