Is having fewer ads or better cyber security worth paying a social media subscription for?

Companies have yet to work out what they should charge users for

Giving some users special privileges that increase their influence may risk detracting from everyone else’s experience. ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

There is a power law at work in many mass-market Internet services.

A relatively small proportion of users often account for a disproportionate share of activity, whether that means posting on social networks or selling on eBay.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.