Civic Society
Civic society (or civil society) refers to the aggregate of non-state, non-market actors, institutions, and networks that mediate between individuals and the state. It encompasses voluntary associations, community groups, NGOs, and social movements that operate independently of government and commercial interests to promote public good, democratic participation, and social cohesion.
Data Governance and the Platform Society
In the context of digitalization and the platform economy, civic society faces structural shifts in how data is governed. Traditional models of civil engagement are increasingly intersecting with data-management frameworks that determine who controls, accesses, and benefits from digital infrastructure.
Recent academic analysis highlights emerging models that challenge dominant corporate paradigms:
- Corporate Platform Dominance: The prevailing model where private entities control data infrastructure and governance rules, often marginalizing public interest considerations.
- Emerging Alternatives: As noted in Micheli - Emerging models of data governance, researchers identify four distinct models of data governance emerging within the current platform society. These models reconfigure the relationship between data infrastructure, data-politics, and data policy.
- Implications for Civic Agency: The shift toward datafication impacts civic society by altering the mechanisms of collective action and public deliberation. Understanding these governance models is critical for maintaining democratic oversight and ensuring that data policies serve public rather than solely private interests.
Key Concepts
- Data Governance: The exercise of rights and responsibilities associated with data management in the context of big-data and digital platforms.
- Digital Platforms: Infrastructures that mediate interactions and data flows, increasingly acting as de facto regulators in digital spaces.
- Public Good: Outcomes that benefit society as a whole, which civic society traditionally advocates for but which are threatened by privatized data governance.