Scientific Definition
Free products monetize attention, structurally aligning incentives against user time well spent.
Plain-English Definition
Free products monetize attention, structurally aligning incentives against user time well spent.
Feynman Explanation
If you're not paying for the product, your attention is the product.
Core Principle
Free products monetize attention, structurally aligning incentives against user time well spent.
Mechanisms
Pending editorial review.
Free products monetize attention, structurally aligning incentives against user time well spent.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Revenue model is product design.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Inputs (Triggers)
Pending editorial review.
Outputs (Behaviors)
Pending editorial review.
Behavioral Signature
If you're not paying for the product, your attention is the product.
Examples
- Decade-plus drift of social platforms toward maximal session time.
- Revenue model is product design.
Pending editorial review.
Famous Experiments
Pending editorial review.
Design Principles
- Subscription, freemium, or hybrid funding paths.
Measurement Approaches
Pending editorial review.
Evidence
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
The Perverse Incentive Lens™
How this behavior is exploited — and how to redesign around it.
- Subscription, freemium, or hybrid funding paths.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Interactive Mini Network
Click any neighbor to re-center the graph and follow the threads of connection.
Knowledge Graph Neighbors
Auto-linked to the rest of the Human Behavior Taxonomy by family, domain, dimension, and shared keywords.
CTR-driven distribution rewards misleading framing over accurate reporting.
Retroactive extensions privilege legacy estates over public-domain enrichment.
Per-view payouts reward volume and frequency over craft and depth.
Tax/inspection exemptions on low-value parcels subsidize a flood of unverified imports.
Revenue from behavioral targeting structurally opposes user privacy.
Ranking systems trained on engagement amplify outrage, fear, and tribal content.
Time-on-app is the wrong thing to maximize for users — but the right thing for revenue.
Removing natural stopping cues turns intentional use into compulsive use.
Notifications calibrated for return visits, not value.
USPTO budget tied to grant fees encourages permissive examination.
DAU/MAU goals override product safety and wellbeing investments.
Notification systems hijack attention by manufacturing urgency for trivial events.