In the context of the sharing economy, a platform is an online intermediary, usually in the form of a web portal or application, that enables users and providers to establish peer-to-peer relationships that center around some economic activity, be it sharing and/or circulating resources or a traditional exchange of goods and services for money. According to my experience, platforms are the medium used for the majority of sharing economy transactions and demonstrate the vital role technology plays in how participants in the sharing economy interact. A few examples of sharing economy companies that use platforms include Uber, Airbnb, TaskRabbit, and HomeAway.