1r6Abhängigkeit

1r6Abhängigkeit is a term used in German-language discussions of digital society to describe a form of dependency that centers on a single node or platform that delivers six core competencies. The designation '1r6' signals one dominant resource (1) and six functions (r6) that users rely on for daily life, work, and social interaction. The concept arose in online sociology and media studies as a way to analyze how platform ecosystems can concentrate control and create systemic risk when redundancy is reduced.

Core features include centralization of services on one platform, high usage locking, data hoarding, and reinforcement through notifications, as well as strong network effects and limited interoperability with competing services. Materials and data may become partially or wholly inseparable from the platform, making switching costly and complex. The model emphasizes cascading consequences: when the platform experiences downtime, policy changes, or security incidents, multiple domains (communication, information access, commerce, identity, content, and social relations) can be simultaneously disrupted.

Applications include risk assessment for digital infrastructure, policy discussions on competition and antitrust, and privacy analysis of data ecosystems. Critics argue that 1r6Abhängigkeit is descriptive at best and that the labels risk conflating legitimate reliance with harmful dependence; some scholars advocate clearer metrics and empirical validation.

See also: platform dependence, single point of failure, digital monopolies, network effects.