Becoming Airbnbeings: on datafication and the quantified Self in tourism

Becoming Airbnbeings: on datafication and the quantified Self in tourism

Abstract

Provocatively drawing inspiration from an episode of the Netflix series Black Mirror and China’s Social Credit System this article critically examines the politics and practices of datafication, quantification and qualification associated to the Airbnb platform. It first explores some of the ideas and ontological claims that endorse Airbnb’s digital infrastructure. Secondly, it looks at how the company’s use of data management and metrics has become increasingly instrumental in maintaining control over hosts and guests and obtaining desirable and profitable outcomes. It does so by unpicking various applications and technologies used by Airbnb to monitor, record and measure the behaviour of hosts and guests. Drawing on in-depth interviews with Airbnb hosts and their participation in forum discussions the article discusses how people understand – and resist – Airbnb’s ‘ranking logic’ and the ways in which their Selves and their homes should be rated and ranked and put into circulation as ‘value’ by the platform. In particular, the article argues that, through the review and rating system incorporated in the platform, both guests and hosts actively contribute to the production of a set of constantly changing hierarchies that represent the driving force of Airbnb as a biopolitical social regulator.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(150)

Critical localisms and commons governance in occupied surfscapes

Critical localisms and commons governance in occupied surfscapes

https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2025.2594716AbstractThe niche field of critical surf studies examines localism as a ubiquitous phenomenon wherein experiences of place and belonging are negotiated thr...

30 Apr 27min

Hawai’i is shifting toward regenerative tourism, yet extractive logics persist

Hawai’i is shifting toward regenerative tourism, yet extractive logics persist

https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2025.2582648AbstractMass-tourism destinations are under criticism for intensifying climate risk, biodiversity loss, and social inequities, yet practical alternatives r...

24 Apr 40min

Cultural performance in the Okinawan urban soundscape: music, sound, tourism

Cultural performance in the Okinawan urban soundscape: music, sound, tourism

https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2025.2578620AbstractOkinawa prefecture is an archipelago in southwestern Japan. This article examines the urban musical soundscape of Kokusai Street in Naha City, Okin...

17 Apr 39min

Navigating the Galápagos paradox: tourism growth management discourses in protected areas

Navigating the Galápagos paradox: tourism growth management discourses in protected areas

https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2025.2582669AbstractIn tourism literature and practice, pro-growth tourism management discourses argue that tourism growth can decouple from its negative impacts throu...

10 Apr 39min

Tourism destination development: the tourism area life cycle model

Tourism destination development: the tourism area life cycle model

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14616688.2024.2325932AbstractThe tourist area life cycle has been in existence for over four decades since its publication in The Canadian Geographer and w...

3 Apr 57min

Polar tourism and the changing geographies of the Arctic and the Antarctic regions

Polar tourism and the changing geographies of the Arctic and the Antarctic regions

https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2025.2462777AbstractThe polar areas have long endured as an exotic playground for adventure in the wilderness. Tourism figures have remained low and hence the regions ...

27 Mar 41min

Macro level geoarbitrage and digital nomad policymaking in Portugal

Macro level geoarbitrage and digital nomad policymaking in Portugal

https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2025.2598624AbstractPortugal has become one of the most popular countries for digital nomadism in Europe, with Lisbon being a top-rated destination. The global digital...

20 Mar 30min

Tourism, creative destruction, and the political economy of urban transformation in Beirut

Tourism, creative destruction, and the political economy of urban transformation in Beirut

https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2025.2580393AbstractThis paper combines Schumpeter’s creative destruction concept with Harvey’s urban capital circulation theory to investigate the influence of politi...

13 Mar 35min

Populært innen Fakta

fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
foreldreradet
treningspodden
jakt-og-fiskepodden
rss-orjasater
rss-kunsten-a-leve
mikkels-paskenotter
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
sinnsyn
hverdagspsyken
rss-var-forste-kaffe
fryktlos
gravid-uke-for-uke
hagespiren-podcast
kvallm
rss-impressions-2
dopet