YouTube as a Contemporary Form of Work: Hope, Labour, and Algorithms

The world of work is changing, and digital platforms, as a distinctive part of the digital economy, are transforming how work is organised, experienced, and valued. A prominent example is YouTube, which has given rise to work predicated on user-generated content, bringing together forms of labour, play, and creativity. Yet, despite the rise of social media, content creation, and platform work, YouTube work has received little scholarly attention in the social sciences. This thesis situates YouTube within broader debates in the sociology of work and digital labour, highlighting what constitutes YouTube work and notable differences from established forms of work. Drawing on an ethnographic research design, the study combines a digital ethnography of YouTube, a traditional ethnography of content creator spaces, an autoethnography through the creation of a YouTube channel, and twenty semi-structured interviews with creators. This approach enables an in- depth examination of YouTube work practices, starting journeys of content creators, and the wider actors shaping contemporary forms of work. The findings suggest that YouTube work is characterised by hope and free labour, particularly in the early stages, echoing established dynamics within creative work such as musicianship. Content creation is shown to be only one component of a broader set of work practices; YouTube work being conceptualised as boundaryless. Central to the organisation and remuneration of this work are two key actors-the platform algorithm and the audience. The findings highlight the intimacy work required to captivate audiences and the emergence of a new form of algorithmic management. By conceptualising YouTube work as boundaryless and highlighting the forms of labour prominent in YouTube work, this thesis contributes to sociological understandings of digital work. Methodologically, this thesis contributes to qualitative digital ethnography by introducing an 'algorithmic emergent field' approach. At a critical moment in our global digital culture, this research offers timely insights into how platform-mediated activity is shaping the contemporary world of work.