But this is too simplistic.
These user generated networks are the value add they provide over publishing on your own webpage.
But this isn't a two sided market, it has tree sides: Advertisers, Publishers, and Users.
Instead, platfroms have identified an arbitrage opportunity.
Instead of seeing the most *relevant* content through connections in the network we see what captures our attention the longest: extremism.
They are *actively* promoting content users do not prefer, that is not well ranked by the network, in order to capture attention for ads.
The network effects of the Web required *active* linking between publishers. The linking of content in platform silo's is *articifial*.
When applied to network graphs of user generated content and user generated links it will make new artificial connections to further the goal it is given, in this case: capturing attention as long as possible.