May I Have Your Attention, Please: - Building a Dystopian Attention Economy

Abstract

We analyze the scenario depicted in the "Black Mirror" episode "Fifteen Million Merits" from an economic point of view, focusing on treating the attention of a user or consumer as a commodity. We continue by sketching the technological requirements for building such an economic framework, looking at advertisement platforms, payment schemes, and surveillance technology. As we show, a lot of the technology already exists and we expect the gaps to be filled in the very near future. Additionally, we briefly discuss the impact on social and work environments. While we believe that a scenario as extreme as shown in the episode is unlikely, we think that certain facets of it could find their way into our society.