Delusive Speech in the Sharing Economy

Scam Inc.

Julie Reid

$305

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Routledge
03 March 2025

Communication studies; Media studies; Media, information & communication industries

Series: Routledge Studies in New Media and Cyberculture

In this examination of how the rise of online sharing economy platforms has 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 motivate 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.

By: Julie Reid
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
Weight: 535g
ISBN: 9781032845920
ISBN 10: 1032845929
Series: Routledge Studies in New Media and Cyberculture
Pages: 238
Publication Date: 03 March 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Julie Reid is Professor of Communication Science, and specialises in media studies, audience research, and the study of digital technologies. She is based at the Department of Communication Science at the University of South Africa (Unisa). As a long-time activist for social justice related to communication rights, she has published widely on the topics of media regulation, media politics, and the issues of freedom of expression and media diversity. She is the editor and co-author of the books Looking at media: an introduction to visual studies (2013), New concepts in media diversity. A view from South Africa (2020) and the co-author of Tell Our Story. Multiplying voices in the news media (2020).

Reviews for Delusive Speech in the Sharing Economy: Scam Inc.

“It’s scary to read about real live stories of people who have been scammed by big tech companies. How it happened, how they got away with it or got caught. These stories serve as warning bells to all of us; hence Julie Reid’s book is useful, with a good fast pace.” Glenda Daniels, Associate Professor and Head of Department, Media Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. ""SCAM Inc. is a unique and example-filled monograph that answers all questions related to how the sharing economy is manipulated and used to SCAM audiences. Readers will love the international examples, the focus on technology, and the attention to familiar organizations."" Alison N. Novak, Ph.D., Rowan University ""We put our lives in the hands of strangers whose work is facilitated by tech oligarchs. We get into their cars. We stay in their bedrooms. We invite them into our homes. What could possibly go wrong? Julie Reid has assembled a swathe of international case studies which should cause us to pause."" Julie Posetti, Professor of Journalism at City, University of London, Global Director of Research at the International Center for Journalists, and a UN-published expert on online violence and disinformation.