‘The Material Political Economy of Apps: Optimization of Advertising and its Disruption’ by Donald MacKenzie
21 March 2024, 17:00 CET
The talk explores the intersection of app studies and digital advertising, focusing on their underexplored connection. Embracing a "material political economy" perspective, it emphasizes the significance of contextual elements in shaping the digital landscape. Specifically, it investigates Apple's material intervention and its impact on the digital world's routine financial mechanisms and corporate influence.
Central to digital advertising is a material feedback loop involving technological systems, user actions, and continual optimization via machine learning. Drawing from a comprehensive study involving 102 interviews, Donald’s talk examines this loop within mobile app advertising. It begins by examining free-to-play mobile games, revealing intricate relationships between advertising revenue and user retention strategies.
The paper highlights the loop's optimization to target specific users and suggests its influence on game development. It then discusses how Apple's policy shift disrupted this loop by enforcing user consent for tracking, altering the flow of crucial advertising data.
Interviews conducted in late 2023 illustrate persistent challenges for mobile games following Apple's changes. In contrast, Facebook adapted its systems to mitigate disruptions, relying more heavily on machine learning. This shift led to decreased practitioner autonomy, indicative of broader trends in digital advertising.
The impact of these changes extends beyond apps, potentially reshaping digital advertising practices. Anticipating Google's upcoming privacy changes, the paper speculates on their wider implications, including potential effects on political engagement and influence.
Ultimately, this research highlights the intricate relationships between technology, user consent, and the evolving landscape of digital advertising.
An open debate follows the meeting.
‘The Material Political Economy of Apps: Optimization of Advertising and its Disruption’
by Donald MacKenzie
17:00 CET, 21 March 2024
Phinance Online Seminars
17:00 Donald MacKenzie (Edinbrough) The Material Political Economy of Apps: Optimization of Advertising and its Disruption
17:45 Debate
Chair: Emiliano Ippoliti (Sapienza University of Rome)