[itronitron]

>> If they charged like $2/month/user for 3d party API access they'd be profitable

But then the leadership would only be wealthy and not famous.

It feels like the focus on ad sales by so many platforms is due to their executives' personal preference in having broad ranging social influence (by playing gateway to the masses) instead of a predictable revenue stream.

[DirkH]

This is interesting, but can you further explain how yoy get broad ranging social influence from focusing on ads? I don't quite get that.

[itronitron]

Several social media platforms, notably Facebook and Twitter, have (or had) marketing campaign teams that help their clients focus their marketing campaigns on particular segments of interest.

The belief that they could further wield influence may drive them to be less concerned about near term profitability.

[rightbyte]

I don't think it is the ads but the algorithmic feed that they manipulate for political ends, rather than making money. TikTok got big by making an algorithmic feed that did not push BS to its users I think.