The issues of state-as-controller-of-data that made Corbyn’s proposal interesting has sent me down a rabbit hole. Meant as an escape from the US wild west approach to a digital economy and fueled by the simple anarchist thought that the state, while better than the market, might also not be trusted with the welfare of platform workers, the focus on 'digital democracy' has proved confusing. Does 'digital' refer to social media, online voting, or service platforms? Does 'democracy' guarantee citizen privacy and preventions of worker abuse? Or access to government participation? And, in the end, do either affect what I am really interested in: the conditions affecting the production of architecture and the urban environment? Still, the faith that state governance is materially relevant to platform work led me on.

Blog 5 consists of 2 different blog entries by Architecture Lobby members working on collaborative platforms for architects. I thank them for this participation.