ABSTRACT

Due to their perceived role in making content visible, engagement metrics are core concerns for people and businesses that generate revenue on social media platforms. While scholars have focused on the ways that social media users manipulate their own visibility, we investigate not only how social media users’ understandings of metrics shape the content they produce but also how this content influences the communication of users who interact with it. Based on a logistic regression analysis of 985 Facebook posts made to a group that distributes information about free products, we find that tactics commonly thought to increase engagement metrics also increased the probability that users would reveal personal information, identities and experiences, including detailed descriptions of debt, unemployment and homelessness. We argue that the information systems, compensation structures, and cultural norms currently surrounding online communication award visibility to those who make others visible in ways that potentially increase vulnerability.

摘要

由于其在使内容可见方面所扮演的角色，因此参与度指标是在社交媒体平台上创收的个人和企业的核心问题。当学者们关注社交媒体用户操纵自己的可见性的方式时，我们不仅研究社交媒体用户对度量的理解如何塑造他们产生的内容，而且研究这种内容如何影响与之互动的用户的交流。根据对发布给免费产品信息的小组的985个Facebook帖子的逻辑回归分析，我们发现通常被认为可以提高参与度的策略还增加了用户泄露个人信息，身份和经历的可能性，包括对以下内容的详细说明债务，失业和无家可归。