Are Communities Explotation or Empowerment?

Are you building your capitalist empire on the backs of unpaid drones, slaving in the web 2.0 mines? Have you managed to shift all your marketing dollars into your own pocket, while tricking the public into doing all the promotion and content development work for free?

Cue Mr. Burns Voice:
Excellent!

Nancy Baym, a professor of communications at the University of Kansas, has just published a great analysis of this question in a paper titled “Amateur Experts: International Fan Labor In Swedish Independent Music”.

“Many of the activities these fans engage in (reviewing, promoting, booking shows, arranging travel, creating playlists, etc.) would be considered professional labor when done by anyone at a major radio station, management company, or press outlet and a fair wage for their efforts would be mandatory.”

But the oppressed feel they’re quite lucky to toil in the rock mines:

“I’m getting a wide knowledge about music…I get exposed to fabulous music and meet some fantastic musicians. The musicians I’ve met are extremely talented, and also great people who are a joy to work with; many have become friends, and I believe most truly deserve success.”

So — do you have raging enthusiasts working to promote your brand? Are they willing to do it for free, because they feel honored to be associated with your company?

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