What are the different types of platforms?Examples of platforms by category:CategoryExamplesSocial mediaInstagram, TikTokSearch enginesGoogle SearchApp storesApple App Store, Google PlayCloud servicesAmazon Web Services, Google CloudArtificial intelligenceChatGPT, ClaudeAdvertising platformsGoogle Ads, Meta AdsMeal deliveryDeliveroo, Uber EatsOnline shopsAmazon, eBayStreamingNetflix, Spotify, YouTubeData and analytics platformsPalantir

Search engines (Google Search), app stores (Apple App Store), cloud providers (Amazon Web Services), artificial intelligence (ChatGPT), advertising platforms (Google Ads), meal delivery (Deliveroo), and online shops (Amazon). They’re all platforms.

Platforms are everywhere. From Instagram, Spotify and Netflix to Google, Deliveroo and ChatGPT. Many of us use them every single day. Platform researcher Anne Helmond (Utrecht University) explains how they work and why they influence your life more than you might think. How did platforms become so powerful? What does that mean for us? And what can we do to become less dependent on them?