Overall Research Project Description Information dissemination is primarily controlled through platforms across their social media network structure. At the heart of this system is the platform itself, which has access to a vast array of heterogeneous content. On the periphery, individual users act as information consumers. It has become widely recognized that these platforms utilize a mechanism popularly known as "The Algorithm". The "Algorithm" selects the type of information to present to users, relying on a Model or an estimation of content preferences specific to each consumer. The user's objective is straightforward – to maximize utility – while the platform's aim is to enhance consumer engagement. The misalignment between the user's and platform's objectives results in intriguing behaviors that can be observed empirically. In this project the students will investigate how content distribution platform works, what engagement maximization means, and how the misalignment with the user's objective due to inaccurate private preferences estimates might lead to polarization and segregation in social networks.