The Legibility of the User/Citizen: Towards a 'platform State'?

In 1978, Simon Nora and Alain Minc’s report L’informatisation de la Société explored the potential societal impact of computerization, presenting two possible futures: a totalitarian state shaped by technological control or a decentralized state enabling spontaneous social development. Decades later, this framework provides a valuable perspective for analyzing the rise of the "platform state" in the digital era. In this article, I examine the platform state through the lens of political theory, Marxist analysis, and current research on digital platforms. Contrary to the view that the state has weakened under corporate influence, I argue that the platform state represents a revitalized form of governance that uses digital platforms to enhance centralization, legibility, infrastructural power, and virtual planning. By adopting the logic of digital platforms, this new state form presents significant ethical and political challenges, particularly regarding the potential for overreach. My aim is to offer a conceptual framework that captures the structure and implications of this emerging platform state.