The platform state: between organizational efficiency and human marginalization
The article is devoted to a critical analysis of the “platform state” model in the context of the digital transformation of public administration. Based on data from author's and representative sociological surveys (RANEPA, VTsIOM), as well as focus group discussions conducted in 2024-2025, a key dilemma is being explored: the declaration of organizational effectiveness and the manifestation of digital marginalization of citizens. The paper identifies two main vectors of digitalization that generate threats: infrastructural (risks of personal data leaks, technical failures, increased control) and algorithmic (“black box effect”, decision bias, blurring of responsibility). It was proven that the process of marginalization affects not only socially excluded categories of digital technology users, but also those who face opacity, errors and lack of empathy in automated systems. The analysis allows to formulate a conclusion about the stability of the “platform state” paradigm: its stability is due not so much to the improvement of organizational and technical performance through the introduction of digital solutions, as to the success of solving basic problems: Ensuring digital security and overcoming mistrust. The future of digital transformation is seen in creating a balanced socio-technical system, where algorithms have not only organizational efficiency but also human dimension.
Zotov, V. V., Gubanov, A. V. (2025), “The platform state: between organizational efficiency and human marginalization”, Research Result. Sociology and management, 11 (4), 71-88.
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This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation under grant No 24-28-00716 “Digital marginalization in conditions of socio-technical convergence”.