Abstract

RODRIGUES COSTA, Pedro  and  DE LEMOS MARTINS, Moisés. The Laws of Attention-Capturing. Reflections on the Role of Video in Digital Platforms. Vista [online]. 2023, n.11, e023002.  Epub July 30, 2023. ISSN 2184-1284.  https://doi.org/10.21814/vista.4512.

Image is one of the dominant media in contemporary communication (Martins, 2021, p. 185). The current cultural convergence is mostly about digital images (Jenkins, 2006/2009). Based on this premise, video is one of the most prominent types in the era of image and screens (Costa, 2012; Loureiro, 2011; Martins, 2011).

Different digital communication companies, based on different platforms, use different architectures and algorithms, with different techniques and methods, to use the image to communicate and capture attention. Digital media is planned with images as a central element to communicate and algorithmic laws to retain and build loyalty among citizens (Lanier, 2010/2010, 2018/2018). Theorists of the economy of attention argue that the companies managing the major digital platforms have one main objective: to capture the attention of the masses to create loyalty and retention of consumers/users (Martens, 2016; Srnicek, 2017). The economy of attention is one of their main sectors of activity, with screen vision as one of its core businesses (Costa, 2014). The individuals' payoff to the companies that manage the digital platforms is made through constantly giving views (Costa, 2020b), persistent telepresence, a frenetic sharing of content, and the current use of the numerous services and digital ecosystems. The sum of many watching, tele-being, tele-sharing and tele-using allows for dynamising the attention economy.

The big digital companies are fighting for the biggest cuts in this economy. Those with the highest user loyalty and retention are profiting the most. The key strategy lies in the methods and techniques used to capture attention. This strategy creates "laws", that is, regularities and patterns that flow between different companies and different sociotechnical dynamics. The video, as a method and technique of attention-capturing, uses its "laws" and tracks, thus contributing to other social processes of use, influence, manipulation, imitation, propagation, socialisation and individuation. In this article, we seek to account for some general regularities and patterns used in the video to capture the attention of the masses.

Keywords : video; laws; attention capture; digital platforms.

        · abstract in Portuguese     · text in English | Portuguese     · English ( pdf ) | Portuguese ( pdf )