You can manage bookmarks using lists, please log in to your user account for this.
Media type:
E-Article
Title:
The orchestrated digital inequalities of the IoT: How vendor lock-in hinders and playfulness creates IoT benefits in every life
Contributor:
van der Zeeuw, Alex;
van Deursen, Alexander JAM;
Jansen, Giedo
imprint:
SAGE Publications, 2022
Published in:New Media & Society
Language:
English
DOI:
10.1177/14614448221138075
ISSN:
1461-4448;
1461-7315
Origination:
Footnote:
Description:
<jats:p>As the Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming the next frontier for the digital divide, we argue that access to most of the IoT and its benefits are hindered by vendor lock-in. Yet, people with an advanced set of operational skills can find creative ways to overcome vendor lock-in. In this article, we study socio-contextual dispositions to why some people are better able to capitalize on IoT benefits creatively than others. We use interview data and a novel approach to a diary study using a mobile application among 30 households. By focusing on vendor lock-in against the interplay between operational skills and creative IoT uses, we find those with the least access to IoT benefits are users who mainly task-oriented and consider IoT tools to solve specific problems. Those with a more play orientation are better positioned to access IoT benefits and further develop their operational skills.</jats:p>