Medium’s 30 Second Engagement Rule
Understanding How Medium’s New Scoring System Works
In the face of the AI revolution’s relentless advance, is Medium’s daring revamp simply a tremor foreshadowing a larger quake, or is it a pivotal test of their resilience in a drastically changing content universe?
The average human has an attention span of only 8.25 seconds — 4.25 seconds less than in 2000. Ruben Kesherim
Because this is a detailed article, the table of contents is as follows
- Stealthy Paternalism
- August 1 (July 13, 2023) fundamental changes.
- New Partner Program story earnings
A Delicate Dance in Decision-Making and Autonomy
The concept of subtle rule modifications during a game mirrors the idea of ‘stealthy paternalism’, an idea that sees changes being implemented with the aim of influencing player behavior and choices subtly, often without their explicit consent. This concept is a less intrusive derivative of the broader paternalistic idea, which advocates for restricting the free will of individuals for their own benefit, and without their agreement.
An instance of this principle is found in the game design strategy known as “nudging”, championed by scholars of behavioral economics such as Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein. Nudging involves the strategic construction of a game’s rules or environment that subtly guides players towards making more beneficial decisions, yet still retaining their freedom to choose. For example, a game could be designed such that it subtly favors strategic thinking over hasty decisions, without making this explicitly clear to the player.
“Stealthy Paternalism: Influencing choices subtly, often without explicit consent, but always with the intention of benefiting the end-user.”
However, some argue that this form of subtle rule modification can compromise a player’s autonomy and accountability by bypassing their thoughtful capacities. Critics argue that players should be able to understand the rules and implications of their decisions fully. On the other hand, advocates of nudging and other similar stealthy rule adjustments claim that they can assist players in making better decisions and enhance their gaming experience without significantly impeding their freedom within the game.
In conclusion, the idea of subtly adjusting game rules mid-game, or stealthy paternalism, involves the delicate influence on player behavior and decisions without their explicit consent, generally with the intention of enhancing their gaming experience. While this concept can be a point of contention due to concerns about player autonomy, it also presents a promising avenue for enhancing decision-making and overall enjoyment in games without significantly restricting player freedom.
In a parallel to our earlier discussion, the writing platform Medium is deploying a series of adjustments to its Partner Program, slated to roll out on August 1, 2023.
“Just as game designers nudge players towards beneficial decisions, so too does Medium seek to influence its writers’ success.”
Here are the primary changes:
1. Broadening Program Accessibility: Medium will extend its Partner Program to writers from 12 additional countries. This enhancement allows for an increased participant pool, offering more writers the opportunity to benefit from their content’s earnings.
2. Abolishing the Follower Count Prerequisite: Previously, an entry criterion for the Partner Program was a follower count of at least 100. This stipulation has been abolished, effectively simplifying the entry process for budding writers.
3. Mandatory Medium Membership: The rule modifications include a stipulation that going forward, Medium membership will be a requisite for entry into the Partner Program. However, existing participants in the Partner Program are exempt from this requirement at present.
4. Discontinuation of Referral Bonuses: The Partner Program will no longer offer referral bonuses, a permanent change in the Program’s structure.
5. Possible Payout Alterations: Given the changes in the accessibility of the program and the termination of referral bonuses, it’s plausible to expect subsequent adjustments in the payout structure for the platform’s writers. This isn’t expressly stated but can be inferred from the announced changes.
“In the new world of Medium’s Partner Program, every interaction counts — from a thirty-second read to a member’s follow.”
“How stories earn in the new Partner Program”
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Points for Reading and Activity
Medium now uses points to decide how much money you make. Points come from people reading your stories and interacting with them.
Non-Member Activity
If someone who’s not a Medium member reads your story, it won’t help you earn money. But, you will still see their activity in your story stats.
Member Activity
If a Medium member looks at your story but leaves before 30 seconds, you won’t earn anything. If they stay at least 30 seconds, you’ll earn money. If they interact with your story or decide to follow you, you’ll earn more.
Bonus 1 — Following Bonus
If a member starts following you after reading your story, you get extra points. This encourages writers to build a group of regular readers.
Bonus 2 — Boost Bonus
Some stories get a boost, which is chosen by the Medium community and team. Boosted stories earn more money based on how much interaction they get and how many members interact with them.
Bonus 3 — Read-through-rate:
Your earnings can go up or down based on your story’s read-through rate. If lots of people stay on your story for at least 30 seconds, you’ll earn more. If they leave quickly, you’ll earn less. This helps make sure that stories are interesting and not just clickbait.
In the vein of stealthy paternalism, Medium’s new rules seem to nudge its writers towards creating more engaging and quality content, but it remains to be seen how these changes will impact the diversity of voices on the platform and whether the ‘nudged’ will embrace or resist these subtle pressures.
