Platform Brutality

Applying contemporary art theory to the ills of the internet, this book critically examines the age of social media. Geert Lovink, professor of Art and Network Cultures, presents a thoughtful analysis of how the internet shapes personal, social and political life, highlighting issues such as online aggression, fake news and propaganda. Platform Brutality investigates how platforms can enable exclusion, isolation and echo chambers, while offering perspectives on alternatives and a recalibration of our relationship with technology. The work situates debates around techno-feudalism, loneliness on social media, radical data critique, and the challenge of finding a balance between analog and digital living. It is part of the Making Public series and invites readers to imagine leaving platforms behind and reimagining social networks.

Geert Lovink’s approach blends theory with practical reflection, aiming to question the pull of digital ecosystems and to explore offline commitments alongside digital life.

• Contemporary art theory applied to internet ills
• Critical look at social media and online violence
• Explores techno-feudalism and echo chambers
• Addresses loneliness and radical data critique
• Proposes alternatives and balance between analog and digital
• Part of the Making Public series, published by Valiz, 2025

• Platform Brutality
• Geert Lovink, author
• Uitgeverij Valiz, 2025
• Pages: 240; Paperback edition
• Series: Making Public
• Language: nl-BE