Accounting for Product Impact in the Interactive Media and Services Industry

Abstract

We apply the product impact measurement framework of the Impact-Weighted Accounts Initiative (IWAI) in two competitor companies within the interactive media and services industry. We design a monetization methodology that allows us to calculate monetary impact estimates for key welfare effects of social media, including addiction, depression, connectivity, and misinformation, among other effects identified in social media literature. Our results indicate substantial differences in the impact that competitors have through their products. These differences demonstrate how impact reflects corporate strategy and informs decision-making on industry-specific areas.