YouTubers' labor process and autonomy in Taiwan

YuChing Chen

22nd ITS Biennial Conference, Seoul 2018. Beyond the boundaries: Challenges for business, policy and society from International Telecommunications Society (ITS)

Abstract: In 2017, YouTuber channel has achieved tremendous growth in Taiwan, driving YouTuber as a popular career choice, but YouTuber's labor situation has not been well-known by outsiders. Therefore, this study uses the concept of immaterial labor to examine the labor process of YouTuber, analyzing how the autonomy works on the labor process. In this study, through in-depth interviews, the selected subjects mainly have subscribers higher than 10,000 and their types are DIY and entertainment. This study finds that creators maintain the autonomy of their creations through their works and fame, but the characteristics of the platform and the non-compete contracts are the major causes of controlling the creator's creative freedom. In addition, the management agencies, such as management companies, can be found as one of the factors that limit YouTubers' autonomy.

Keywords: YouTube; YouTuber; product placement; immaterial labor; autonomy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:itsb18:190421

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