Nice approach! I hope you touch on the incentive structure for the social media companies themselves. Tribalism seems to drive engagement, aiming for another equilibrium would require some kind of incentive structure that encourages platforms to make a pivot. (Or at least a story for why a platform would chose to move towards a new equilibrium, given market pressure and the multi-polar situation they're in)
Very good point. I plan to only briefly raise this issue, as a full treatment would be too long. But I agree, it is a key issue. From what I hear, social media platforms are trying to improve their content. However, their incentive is to drive engagement of any sort, not necessarily to improve quality. I think there are reputational benefits in the long term to improving quality content, even if it does not produce more engagement in the short term. It is a priori unclear whether this would be enough to move the industry in a better direction.
I think we might approach a breaking point, where social media becomes so damaging that discerning people avoid it or restrict it. If people start leaving due to platform toxicity, we might end up with incentives to improve
My Mind jumps to issues! Where sound this be organised? Pretty much all social movements are reliant on social media. Biting the hand that feeds you. The people most affected are the ones least capable of independent action.
This ties in to lacking consumptariat class consciousness. Exciting stuff
Nice approach! I hope you touch on the incentive structure for the social media companies themselves. Tribalism seems to drive engagement, aiming for another equilibrium would require some kind of incentive structure that encourages platforms to make a pivot. (Or at least a story for why a platform would chose to move towards a new equilibrium, given market pressure and the multi-polar situation they're in)
Very good point. I plan to only briefly raise this issue, as a full treatment would be too long. But I agree, it is a key issue. From what I hear, social media platforms are trying to improve their content. However, their incentive is to drive engagement of any sort, not necessarily to improve quality. I think there are reputational benefits in the long term to improving quality content, even if it does not produce more engagement in the short term. It is a priori unclear whether this would be enough to move the industry in a better direction.
I think we might approach a breaking point, where social media becomes so damaging that discerning people avoid it or restrict it. If people start leaving due to platform toxicity, we might end up with incentives to improve
Yes, society and people learning about the negative effects are a possible scenario leading to behavioural and institutional changes.
My Mind jumps to issues! Where sound this be organised? Pretty much all social movements are reliant on social media. Biting the hand that feeds you. The people most affected are the ones least capable of independent action.
This ties in to lacking consumptariat class consciousness. Exciting stuff