What is "status as a service"?

"Status as a Service" is a concept explored by Eugene Wei, emphasizing the role of status in the growth and engagement of social media networks. He argues that humans are innately driven to seek status, which social networks capitalize on by creating status games. These games involve tokens of status, such as likes and follows, which fit within a network’s architecture to encourage user engagement and growth. This model helps explain why some networks explode in popularity and why they might eventually stop growing, as the status game becomes less appealing or saturated 1.

Wei also suggests that while the drive for status can promote negative behavior, it can be redirected positively. By deliberately designing status indicators around beneficial activities, societies and platforms can promote more socially valuable behavior. For example, emphasizing status around public service or education can elevate these roles in society 2.