Seminars topic: As users increasingly depend on social media platforms for information, providers aim to enhance content relevance through algorithms. This seminar investigates whether such algorithm-driven allocation mechanisms efficiently target users with the highest potential for information gain. Drawing on archival data and a large-scale field experiment on Facebook, the study reveals a misallocation: information is more often delivered to already well-informed users, while poorly informed users are left behind. This results in a lower net gain from additional information exposure. The findings highlight an unintended bias in engagement-optimized algorithms and offer managerial insights into improving information fairness and economic efficiency online.

Scholars Background: SHEN Hongchuan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Accounting and Information Management at the Faculty of Business Administration, University of Macau. He earned his Ph.D. from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. His research focuses on the economics of information systems, including digital platform design, online advertising, two-sided markets, and the social implications of artificial intelligence.

Time and Location: June 6, 2025, 10:30
Room A423, School of Management

Language: Bilingual (ENG & CN)