How Marketplaces Weaponize Reputation

The Platform Economy with Fexingo: Marketplaces, Networks, and Multi-Sided Businesses · Sep 10, 2026 · 10m · transcript

Marketplaces like Airbnb and Uber have long relied on two-way rating systems to enforce quality, but this mechanism is now being flipped into a strategic weapon. This episode explores how platforms use asymmetric reputation data to lock in suppliers while protecting consumer-facing brands from liability. We examine the structural shift where reviews are no longer just feedback loops but tools for supply-side discipline, often leaving individual providers vulnerable to algorithmic shadow-banning or de-ranking without clear recourse. By September 2026, the regulatory gaze on these opaque…