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Knowledge Hub

The Attention Economy

Your attention is valuable. Today, most of that value goes to platforms. This hub explains how the attention economy works and presents tools to redistribute that value.

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Interactive Tools

Explore the attention economy hands-on. Use these tools, share your results, then dive into the theory below.

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Attention Tax Calculator

Estimate how much value your screen time generatesā€”and how much you could earn instead.

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Earning Personality Quiz

Discover your earning archetype and get a shareable result with personalized app recommendations.

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Reward Apps Comparison

Compare 10+ apps side-by-side with honest data on earnings, effort, and payout methods.

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Glossary

18 key terms defined: verified attention, scan-to-earn, attention tax, and more.

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What Is the Attention Economy?

The attention economy is a marketplace where human attention is treated as a scarce and valuable commodity. In a world overflowing with content, your ability to focus becomes the constraint.

Every time you scroll, watch, or engage, you generate signals that can be monetizedā€”mostly through advertising and targeting. The key issue is value flow. In the default model, most value stays with platforms.

Economist Herbert A. Simon popularized the idea that an abundance of information creates a scarcity of attention. Scarcity creates value.

"A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention."

Herbert A. Simon, Nobel Laureate in Economics

How Companies Profit From Your Attention

The traditional model is simple: platforms offer "free" services in exchange for your time and data. They then sell access to your attention to advertisers.

Feeds, autoplay, notifications, and recommendation systems are optimized for engagement because engagement drives revenue. This doesn't mean every platform is evilā€”it means incentives are aligned around attention capture.

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You are the inventory
When a service is free, your attention is often the product sold to advertisers.
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Targeting raises value
Behavior signals improve ad performance, which increases what advertisers pay.
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Time is the KPI
UX patterns are designed to increase time on platform because it increases monetization.
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Default extraction
In the default model, most value is captured by platformsā€”not shared with users.

The Shift: From Extraction to Ownership

A new model is emerging where users share in the value their attention creates. This is the shift from extraction to ownership.

When engagement can be verified and measured, it becomes possible to pay for it more fairly. This isn't about blocking adsā€”it's about value-sharing.

Traditional Model
Brandā†’Platformā†’You
You receive: $0
vs
Verified Attention Model
Brandā†’VISUā†’You
You receive: rewards

Ready to Own Your Attention?

Create a free account and start earning verified rewards for real-world engagement.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the attention economy?
It's a market where human focus is scarce and valuable. Businesses compete for attention because attention can be converted into revenue through advertising and conversion.
Why is attention valuable?
Attention is limited while content is abundant. Scarcity creates economic value. Attention can be measured through time, engagement, and intent signals.
How do platforms make money from attention?
Mostly through ads and targeting. Capturing more time and engagement means more ad inventory and better optimization of ad performance.
Can users get paid for attention?
In shared-value models, yes. If engagement can be verified and tied to real actions, platforms can share value back to users through rewards. Calculate your potential here.
What is verified attention?
Engagement authenticated through location, action, or identity verificationā€”rather than passive views. It's more valuable because it proves real human interaction. See full definition.