Becoming the Product The Critical Internet Researcher as a Virtual Intellectual Digital Scholarship and Attention Economy

Becoming the Product The Critical Internet Researcher as a Virtual Intellectual traces the evolution of critical internet research in the digital age Many voices from net criticism to influencer‑style creators are examined including the work of early net critic voices and modern attention‑driven researchers The book explores how researchers share their work and sustain their careers within the attention economy It investigates the rise of subscription‑based platforms, engagement metrics and the resulting tensions between rigorous scholarship aesthetic branding and market‑driven content The book offers a critical reflection on the sustainability of critical thinking online and questions how intellectual critique and digital commodification can coexist