Trond Slyngstad is a business developer and entrepreneur and the editor of DARA.
Participation Economy (noun; Norwegian: deltakerøkonomi)
The Participation Economy is an economy in which the people whose data, knowledge and everyday activity create value can see what they contribute, decide how it is used, and receive a fair share of the value it creates. In it, people are not just users or sources of data, but participants.
In short: An economy where those who create the value share in it.
Put simply: if your ring, watch or app turns your sleep and steps into money for someone else, you should be able to see it, say yes or no, and get something back.
What are the three parts of the definition?
See. People can see what they contribute: which data, knowledge and activity, and where it goes.
Decide. People decide how it is used: who gets access, for what purpose and for how long. Saying no is also a choice.
Share. People receive a fair share of the value it creates: money, credits, discounts, better services or other returns.
What would it look like in practice?
Today: A smart ring measures your sleep and heart rate every night. The company may use that data to improve its products, develop new services or enter research partnerships. You get a sleep score in the app.
In a Participation Economy: You can see which data leaves your phone and who receives it. You say yes to a university sleep study, but no to advertisers. And when your data helps create a new product, you get something back: money, a lower subscription price or early access.
Is the Participation Economy the same as selling your data?
No. Selling data is one possible outcome, but the definition is about more than a price. It requires insight (see), control (decide) and a fair return (share), and it covers knowledge and everyday activity, not only data.
Why is it called “participation”?
Much of the digital economy treats people as users, customers or sources of data. Their clicks, steps, sleep and heartbeats help build products and companies, while most of the value ends up elsewhere. The Participation Economy describes the shift toward treating these people as participants: with insight into what they give, a say in how it is used, and a share in what it creates.
Why does it matter now?
More and more personal data now comes from our own bodies, through rings, watches, apps and home tests. At the same time, new rules and new business models are starting to change who controls this data and who benefits from it. It affects anyone who wears a tracker, uses a health app or has a patient record, and the companies and public services that build on that data.
About DARA
DARA, The Participation Economy Forum, reports on who controls personal data and who profits from it, with a special focus on health and wellness data from rings, watches, apps and home tests.
How to cite this definition
Slyngstad, T. / DARA, The Participation Economy Forum (2026). “What is the Participation Economy?” Version 1.0, 28 September 2026. https://daramag.substack.com/p/what-is-the-participation-economy
Last updated: 28 September 2026. Any changes to the definition will be dated and listed here.
På norsk: Hva er deltakerøkonomi?
DARA is made with AI assistance. Read how we work on the About DARA page.