Fabian Schlott | Algorithmic Mediation in the Digital Creative Economy

Fabian Schlott | Algorithmic Mediation in the Digital Creative Economy | Erasmus University Rotterdam, Arts and Culture Department | Supervisors: prof.dr. FRR Vermeylen, dr. CW Handke; Co-Promotor: dr. SR Gaenssle | November 2023 – November 2027 | schlott@eshcc.eur.nl

Traditional cultural economics research has primarily focused on the economic aspects of art markets and museums, neglecting the burgeoning platform economy’s impact on cultural consumption and dissemination. The rise of User-Generated Content platforms, which serve as intermediaries between numerous producers and users, introduces new dynamics in platform competition and consumer engagement through automated algorithms that streamline transaction costs. These platforms employ recommender, search, and ranking systems to cater to diverse user preferences, encouraging longer and more frequent interactions. However, the opaque nature of these algorithms raises concerns about potential biases and inequalities, as they are not subject to external audits or transparency. Despite extensive research on algorithmic bias in fields like healthcare and crime detection, there’s a significant gap in cultural economics examining how algorithmic systems affect platform competition, creative output, and consumption patterns. This project aims to fill this void by exploring the digital creative industries through a cultural economic lens, addressing the broader implications of algorithmic bias and the lack of transparency in the platform economy.

 Preliminary research questions:

What is the impact of algorithmic recommendation systems on market dynamics and competition among User-Generated Content platforms?

How do biased preferences in recommender systems influence diversity in creative production?

To what extent do algorithmic biases affect consumer tastes and diversity in creative products?