Reid, Julie Barbara Jane

Delusive speech in the sharing economy : Scam Inc. / Julie Reid. - 1 online resource. - Routledge studies in new media and cyberculture . - Routledge studies in new media and cyberculture. .

Hiding in plain sight -- Embroiled in a scam -- Puppies, romance, and exciting adventures -- From breakfast cereal to bait and switch -- Phantom listings -- Lured into danger -- "And then it went horribly wrong" -- Review without a clue -- Networks of fakers -- It's against the law. But who cares? -- Working to make things right -- Delusive speech 101 -- Studying delusive speech. Necessities and methodologies.

"In this examination of how the rise of online sharing economy platforms have facilitated online crime, this book shows how while marketed as trustworthy peer-to-peer services, these platforms are highly vulnerable to misuse by scammers and are used for the dissemination of delusive speech. The analysis centres around the concept of delusive speech, a sub-set of disinformation designed to deceive and motivated by criminal intent. Looking beyond the economic and disruptive impacts of sharing economy platforms like Uber, Airbnb, and others, this book situates these Big Tech giants as mass communication channels that are frequently misused by bad actors to distribute dangerous content globally. Drawing from over 600 cases of victims lured into scams or physical danger via misleading Airbnb listings, the book provides a detailed case study exposing Airbnb's failure to establish legitimate safety measures despite branding its platform as a 'community of trust'. Incorporating netnography and thematic analysis, the author theorises the deceptive semiotic structure of delusive speech and evaluates practical mechanisms Airbnb could employ to prevent scams and crime on its platform. With a global audience including researchers in communication and media studies, digital media, and media industries, as well as tech journalists, Silicon Valley critics, policymakers, and digital rights advocates, this book unmasks how sharing economy giants like Airbnb contribute to an epidemic of online deception causing real-world harm"--

9781003513995 1003513999 9781040317792 1040317790 9781040317822 1040317820

10.4324/9781003513995 doi


Airbnb (Firm)--Case studies.


--South Africa--Case studies.
--South Africa--Case studies.



HV6773.15.C56