Analysing how the prosumption of information in social media shapes Wikipedia

This chapter justifies the use of social media as opposed to new or digital media; within social media it argues the case for Wikipedia as an example of e-publishing. Technological, social, economic, and political perspectives on social media are briefly introduced; these are elaborated to uncover how these determinants underpin information production and consumption or more appropriately 'prosumption' in social media. This chapter applies these factors to determine how social media processes and activities as well as arrangements and organisation shape Wikipedia. It concludes that presently Wikipedia is not a commodity though it is not impossible that attempts to sell it as commodity could occur. In terms of prosumption we have shown that production is restricted to a very small minority while consumption is available to many of those with access to the appropriate digital environment. The issue of reliability of its information remains an open question. Its consumption costs are free. However, the volunteering of free labour raises the question of whether this is exploitation of labour. It contends that exploitation of labour cannot be ruled out and should be considered as an example of the way in which the whole of the technological revolution should be seen not as a break from capitalism but as an extension or intensification of late capitalism.