Pandemic platform governance: Mapping the global ecosystem of COVID-19 response apps
This article provides an exploratory systematic mapping of the global ecosystem of COVID-19 pandemic response apps. After considering policy updates by Google Play’s and Apple’s App Store, we analyse all the available response apps in July 2020; their different response types; the apps’ developers a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Internet Policy Review |
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| Online Access: | https://policyreview.info/node/1568 |
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| _version_ | 1850233813703065600 |
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| author | Michael Dieter Anne Helmond Nathaniel Tkacz Fernando van der Vlist Esther Weltevrede |
| author_facet | Michael Dieter Anne Helmond Nathaniel Tkacz Fernando van der Vlist Esther Weltevrede |
| author_sort | Michael Dieter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article provides an exploratory systematic mapping of the global ecosystem of COVID-19 pandemic response apps. After considering policy updates by Google Play’s and Apple’s App Store, we analyse all the available response apps in July 2020; their different response types; the apps’ developers and geographical distribution; the ecosystem’s ‘generativity’ and developers’ responsiveness during the unfolding pandemic; the apps’ discursive positioning; and material conditions of their development. Google and Apple are gatekeepers of these app ecosystems and exercise control on different layers, shaping the pandemic app response as well as the relationships between governments, citizens, and other actors. We suggest that this global ecosystem of pandemic responses reflects an exceptional mode of what we call ‘pandemic platform governance’, where platforms have negotiated their commercial interests and the public interest in exceptional circumstances. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d47277411c8f43bcb5906448da1adb5b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2197-6775 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Internet Policy Review |
| spelling | doaj-art-d47277411c8f43bcb5906448da1adb5b2025-08-20T02:02:50ZengAlexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and SocietyInternet Policy Review2197-67752021-08-0110310.14763/2021.3.1568Pandemic platform governance: Mapping the global ecosystem of COVID-19 response appsMichael Dieter0Anne Helmond1Nathaniel Tkacz2Fernando van der Vlist3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1401-0325Esther Weltevrede4University of WarwickUniversity of AmsterdamUniversity of WarwickUniversity of SiegenUniversity of AmsterdamThis article provides an exploratory systematic mapping of the global ecosystem of COVID-19 pandemic response apps. After considering policy updates by Google Play’s and Apple’s App Store, we analyse all the available response apps in July 2020; their different response types; the apps’ developers and geographical distribution; the ecosystem’s ‘generativity’ and developers’ responsiveness during the unfolding pandemic; the apps’ discursive positioning; and material conditions of their development. Google and Apple are gatekeepers of these app ecosystems and exercise control on different layers, shaping the pandemic app response as well as the relationships between governments, citizens, and other actors. We suggest that this global ecosystem of pandemic responses reflects an exceptional mode of what we call ‘pandemic platform governance’, where platforms have negotiated their commercial interests and the public interest in exceptional circumstances.https://policyreview.info/node/1568App StorePlatform governancecovid-19App studies |
| spellingShingle | Michael Dieter Anne Helmond Nathaniel Tkacz Fernando van der Vlist Esther Weltevrede Pandemic platform governance: Mapping the global ecosystem of COVID-19 response apps Internet Policy Review App Store Platform governance covid-19 App studies |
| title | Pandemic platform governance: Mapping the global ecosystem of COVID-19 response apps |
| title_full | Pandemic platform governance: Mapping the global ecosystem of COVID-19 response apps |
| title_fullStr | Pandemic platform governance: Mapping the global ecosystem of COVID-19 response apps |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pandemic platform governance: Mapping the global ecosystem of COVID-19 response apps |
| title_short | Pandemic platform governance: Mapping the global ecosystem of COVID-19 response apps |
| title_sort | pandemic platform governance mapping the global ecosystem of covid 19 response apps |
| topic | App Store Platform governance covid-19 App studies |
| url | https://policyreview.info/node/1568 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT michaeldieter pandemicplatformgovernancemappingtheglobalecosystemofcovid19responseapps AT annehelmond pandemicplatformgovernancemappingtheglobalecosystemofcovid19responseapps AT nathanieltkacz pandemicplatformgovernancemappingtheglobalecosystemofcovid19responseapps AT fernandovandervlist pandemicplatformgovernancemappingtheglobalecosystemofcovid19responseapps AT estherweltevrede pandemicplatformgovernancemappingtheglobalecosystemofcovid19responseapps |