Delusive Speech in the Sharing Economy

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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 gl

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