{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,13]],"date-time":"2026-06-13T05:44:35Z","timestamp":1781329475634,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2016,6,1]],"date-time":"2016-06-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1464739200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Big Data &amp; Society"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2016,6]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>This article investigates the claims and complexities involved in the platform-based economics of health and fitness apps. We examine a double-edged logic inscribed in these platforms, promising to offer personal solutions to medical problems while also contributing to the public good. On the one hand, online platforms serve as personalized data-driven services to their customers. On the other hand, they allegedly serve public interests, such as medical research or health education. In doing so, many apps employ a diffuse discourse, hinging on terms like \u201csharing,\u201d \u201copen,\u201d and \u201creuse\u201d when they talk about data extraction and distribution. The analytical approach we adopt in this article is situated at the nexus of science and technology studies, political economy, and the sociology of health and illness. The analysis concentrates on two aspects: datafication (the use and reuse of data) and commodification (a platform\u2019s deployment of governance and business models). We apply these analytical categories to three specific platforms: 23andMe, PatientsLikeMe, and Parkinson mPower. The last section will connect these individual examples to the wider implications of health apps\u2019 data flows, governance policies, and business models. Regulatory bodies commonly focus on the (medical) safety and security of apps, but pay scarce attention to health apps\u2019 techno-economic governance. Who owns user-generated health data and who gets to benefit? We argue that it is important to reflect on the societal implications of health data markets. Governments have the duty to provide conceptual clarity in the grand narrative of transforming health care and health research.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/2053951716654173","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2016,6,24]],"date-time":"2016-06-24T21:29:34Z","timestamp":1466803774000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":80,"title":["Understanding the promises and premises of online health platforms"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"3","author":[{"given":"Jos\u00e9","family":"Van Dijck","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Thomas","family":"Poell","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2016,6,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-12817-7"},{"key":"bibr3-2053951716654173","first-page":"1673","volume":"8","author":"Andrejevic M","year":"2014","journal-title":"International Journal of Communication"},{"key":"bibr4-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1527476414541552"},{"key":"bibr5-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Banning ME (2016) Shared entanglements. Web 2.0, info-liberalism and digital sharing.\n                      Information, Communication & Society\n                      19(4): 489\u2013503.","DOI":"10.1080\/1369118X.2015.1061573"},{"key":"bibr6-2053951716654173","unstructured":"Bogost I and Montfort N (2009) Platform studies: Frequently questioned answers. In:\n                      Proceedings of the digital art and culture conference\n                      , UC Irvine, CA (US), 12\u201315 December 2009, pp. 1\u20136. Retrieved from: https:\/\/escholarship.org\/uc\/item\/01r0k9br (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr7-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118734896"},{"key":"bibr8-2053951716654173","unstructured":"Business Wire (2015) Sage Bionetworks launches Parkinson mPower app to study Parkinson\u2019s disease symptom variation. Available at: http:\/\/www.businesswire.com\/news\/home\/20150309006193\/en\/Sage-Bionetworks-Launches-Parkinson-mPower-App-Study (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr9-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.f3007"},{"key":"bibr110-2053951716654173","unstructured":"European Commission (2014)\n                      Green paper on mobile Health (\u201cmHealth\u201d)\n                      . Available at: https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/digital-single-market\/en\/news\/green-paper-mobile-health-mhealth (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr10-2053951716654173","first-page":"1466","volume":"9","author":"Fiore-Gartland B","year":"2015","journal-title":"International Journal of Communication"},{"key":"bibr11-2053951716654173","volume-title":"The Social Life of Health Information. Pew Internet & American Life Project","author":"Fox S","year":"2011"},{"key":"bibr12-2053951716654173","unstructured":"Genomics England (2015) Available at: http:\/\/www.genomicsengland.co.uk\/ (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr13-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444809342738"},{"key":"bibr14-2053951716654173","volume":"12","author":"Gorski D","year":"2012","journal-title":"Science-Based Medicine"},{"key":"bibr15-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMhle1403384"},{"key":"bibr16-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/1369118X.2012.701656"},{"key":"bibr117-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Karanasiou P and Kang S (2016) The polymorphic concept of health data and the sharer's dilemma.\n                      Digital Culture & Society\n                      2(1): 123\u2013144.","DOI":"10.14361\/dcs-2016-0109"},{"key":"bibr17-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.healthpol.2013.02.005"},{"key":"bibr118-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kitchin R (2014)\n                      The Data Revolution. Big data, open data, data infrastructures & their consequences\n                      . London: Sage.","DOI":"10.4135\/9781473909472"},{"key":"bibr18-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/games.3413"},{"key":"bibr19-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1057\/sth.2012.6"},{"key":"bibr20-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/soc4040606"},{"key":"bibr21-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/1467-9566.12109"},{"key":"bibr22-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2015.04.004"},{"key":"bibr23-2053951716654173","unstructured":"Mayer-Schoenberger V and Cukier K (2013)\n                      Big Data. A Revolution that will Transform How We Live, Work, and Think\n                      . London: John Murray Publishers."},{"key":"bibr25-2053951716654173","volume":"10","author":"Nosowitz D","year":"2015","journal-title":"Motherboard"},{"key":"bibr126-2053951716654173","unstructured":"Open Knowledge International (2016) http:\/\/blog.okfn.org\/category\/open-definition\/ (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr26-2053951716654173","unstructured":"Parkinson mPower (2015) Mobile Parkinson Observatory for worldwide, evidenced-based research. Available at: http:\/\/parkinsonmpower.org\/ (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr27-2053951716654173","unstructured":"PatientsLikeMe.com (2015) Available at: https:\/\/www.patientslikeme.com\/ (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr28-2053951716654173","unstructured":"PatientsLikeMe Data for Good Campaign (2015) Available at: https:\/\/www.patientslikeme.com\/join\/dataforgood (accessed 2 June 2013)."},{"key":"bibr29-2053951716654173","unstructured":"PatientsLikeMe Open Research Exchange (2015) Available at: https:\/\/www.openresearchexchange.com\/faq (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr30-2053951716654173","unstructured":"PatientsLikeMe Partners (2015) Available at: https:\/\/www.patientslikeme.com\/about\/partners (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr31-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2014.2564"},{"key":"bibr32-2053951716654173","unstructured":"Ragaglia D and Roma P (2014) Understanding the drivers of the daily app rank: The role of revenue models. In:\n                      Proceedings of the 26th annual conference of the productions and operations management society\n                      , 8\u201311 May, Washington, DC: Productions and Operations Management Society. Paper no. 060-1351. Available at: http:\/\/www.pomsmeetings.org\/ConfProceedings\/060\/Full%20Papers\/final_full_paper.htm (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr33-2053951716654173","unstructured":"Regalado A (2014) 23andMe\u2019s new formula: Patient consent = $.\n                      MIT Technology Review,\n                      6 January. Available at: http:\/\/www.technologyreview.com\/view\/534006\/23andmes-new-formula-patient-consent\/ (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr34-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/soc4020296"},{"key":"bibr35-2053951716654173","unstructured":"Ruppert E, Harvey P, Lury C, et\u00a0al. (2015) Socialising Big Data: From concept to practice. CRESC Working Paper 138. Available at: http:\/\/www.cresc.ac.uk\/publications\/working-papers\/ (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr36-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amepre.2014.05.020"},{"key":"bibr37-2053951716654173","volume":"27","author":"Seife C","year":"2013","journal-title":"Scientific American"},{"key":"bibr38-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sillence E, Hardy C and Briggs P (2013) Why don\u2019t we trust health websites that help us help each other? An analysis of online peer-to-peer healthcare. In:\n                      Proceedings of the fifth annual web science conference,\n                      Paris, 2\u20134 May. New York: ACM, pp.396\u2013404. Available at: http:\/\/dl.acm.org\/citation.cfm?id=2464488 (accessed 2 June 2013).","DOI":"10.1145\/2464464.2464488"},{"key":"bibr39-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/gim.2012.143"},{"key":"bibr40-2053951716654173","unstructured":"Treacy C, McCaffery F and Finnegan A (2015) Mobile health & medical apps: Possible impediments to healthcare adoption. In:\n                      Proceedings seventh international conference on ehealth, telemedicine, and social medicine\n                      , Lisbon, Portugal, 22\u201327 February, pp.199\u2013202. Available at: http:\/\/thinkmind.org\/index.php?view=article&articleid=etelemed_2015_8_50_40274 (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr41-2053951716654173","unstructured":"23andMe (US, 2015) Available at: https:\/\/www.23andme.com (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr42-2053951716654173","unstructured":"23andMe Core Values (2015) Available at: https:\/\/www.23andme.com\/en-gb\/about\/values\/ (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr43-2053951716654173","unstructured":"23andMe Customer Care (2015) Available at: https:\/\/customercare.23andme.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/202907910-What-countries-do-you-ship-to- (accessed 2 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr44-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/acprof:oso\/9780199970773.001.0001"},{"key":"bibr45-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.17645\/mac.v1i1.70"},{"key":"bibr146-2053951716654173","unstructured":"Volkmer I (2015)\n                      The Global Public Sphere. Public communication in the age of reflective interdependence\n                      . Cambridge: Polity Press."},{"key":"bibr46-2053951716654173","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijmedinf.2013.01.008"},{"issue":"5","key":"bibr47-2053951716654173","first-page":"411","volume":"29","author":"Wicks P","year":"2011","journal-title":"Computational Biology"},{"key":"bibr48-2053951716654173","first-page":"833","volume":"14","author":"Yetisen AK","year":"2014","journal-title":"The Royal Society of Chemistry"}],"container-title":["Big Data &amp; Society"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/2053951716654173","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/2053951716654173","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/2053951716654173","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]],"date-time":"2026-04-28T13:02:03Z","timestamp":1777381323000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/2053951716654173"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2016,6]]},"references-count":51,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2016,6,1]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/2053951716654173"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/2053951716654173","relation":{},"ISSN":["2053-9517","2053-9517"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2053-9517","type":"print"},{"value":"2053-9517","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2016,6]]},"article-number":"2053951716654173"}}