Measuring Substitution Patterns in the Attention Economy: An Experimental Approach

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Aridor, Guy
• 署名单位: Northwestern University
• 刊物名称: RAND JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0741-6261
• DOI: 10.1111/1756-2171.70001
• 发表日期: 2025
• 页码: 302-324
• 关键词: dependence; MODEL

摘要

Substitution patterns are a crucial input to antitrust analysis, but measuring them for free digital products has proved difficult due to the lack of price variation. I measure substitution patterns by installing software on experimental participants' Android phones that restricts access to Instagram or YouTube-generating variation in choice sets-and monitoring how participants reallocate their time. I find that participants substitute to multiple product categories in both restrictions but also substantially for nondigital activities. These results imply that using product characteristics as a proxy for relevant markets may incorrectly specify the relevant set of substitutes in these contexts.