Infrastructures of tracking: Mapping the ecology of third-party services across top sites in the EU. (November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Helles, Rasmus; Lomborg, Stine; Lai, Signe Sophus
• Other Names: König René guest-editor.; Uphues Steffen guest-editor.; Vogt Verena guest-editor.; Kolany-Raiser Barbara guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: New media & society. Volume 22:Number 11(2020)
• Page Start: 1957
• Page End: 1975
• Publication Date: 2020-11
• Subjects: Ad tech -- big data -- critical data studies -- media systems theory -- online tracking -- political economy -- surveillance capitalism -- third-party services -- tracking infrastructures -- web spheres; Mass media -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Mass media and culture -- Periodicals; Information technology -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Internet -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; 302.2305
• DOI: 10.1177/1461444820932868
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1461-4448

Abstract

Today, websites operate in a modular fashion, outsourcing the surveillance and datafication of users to outside companies, along with security functions, video hosting, and so on. These third-party services (TPSs) function as key enablers of the web, with respect to functionality and the monetization of user activity. Departing from critical data studies and media systems analysis, the article contributes to understanding TPS infrastructures by placing these in a wider context of markets, cultural differences and regulation. Through a study of top-150 websites from the 28 EU countries, the article demonstrates how the use of TPSs varies between different parts of the region and different types of sites, and traces this variation to issues of language, regulatory traditions and differences in online businesses. These insights may inform current debates about surveillance capitalism and big data, by linking different forms of commodification of users' behavioural data to broader social and cultural structures.