The Supply Side of Social Media: Engagement, Monetization, and Content Creation

• In Event: Innovations in Misinformation Research and Remedies

Abstract

Research at the intersection of social media and politics has primarily explored how content, algorithmically curated by platforms, affects consumers. But the composition and volume of content available is first shaped by the interaction between the social media ecosystem and content creators. In this paper I outline an analytical framework for studying social media and illustrate the need for increased understanding of the supply-side of social media and its consequences. I model the incentives faced by content creators, highlighting the effects of— and a platform’s ability to shape content through—engagement and monetization. Finally, I outline a field experiment on four political Subreddits to test this model. Using an LLM-based classifier, I identify comments on recent posts which are particularly prosocial. Random subsets of these comments receive a 50-upvote boost (engagement) and/or Reddit Gold (monetization). I evaluate changes in the volume and quality of subsequent posts and comments from treated users. My hypothesis is that engagement and monetization incentives will not only increase the frequency of posts made by the treated individuals, but also that their subsequent content will be more prosocial. Beyond just a story of content creation, this research provides crucial insight into how we evaluate algorithms; both consumers and producers are affected, and only by examining both sides can we accurately characterize algorithmic effects.

Author

• Kylan Rutherford, Columbia University