| Abstract: |
The digitization of content has led to the emergence of platforms that draw
information from multiple sources. Policymakers are concerned that these new
platforms threaten incentives for the production of original content. As a
result, policymakers are contemplating regulations that would force
aggregation platforms to pay or require an explicit "opt-in" for content
providers. To understand the possible consequences and underlying rationale of
such laws, we explore whether aggregation of content by a single platform
encourages users to "skim" content or to investigate in depth. We study a
contract dispute that led a major aggregator to remove information from a
major content provider. We find that after the removal, users were less likely
to investigate additional, related content in depth, particularly sources that
were horizontally or vertically differentiated. |