Online networks accidentally discovered that users recruit other users’ attention

Evidence

But the networks had also uncorked something that they did not themselves fully understand—the effect that in later jargon would be called “social.” The strategy of using people to gain the attention of other people was in retrospect inspired, even if arrived at more or less by accident. — Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants, 719

Categorization

• XREF: The accidental discovery of ‘using people to gain the attention of other people’ echoes the reader’s platform/surveillance thread and later network-effects economics. — connects to: Email’s value grew through network effects as adoption spread; Social networks disguised attention capture beneath promises of connection. — Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants, 973; Blogs shifted attention harvesting from broadcast to peer sharing — Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants, 911 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Social networks disguised attention capture beneath promises of connection. #qualifies (0.85) — Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants, 973
• The networked audience differs from broadcast audiences in enabling active participation #expands (0.80) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 593
• Blogs shifted attention harvesting from broadcast to peer sharing #expands (0.78) — Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants, 911