This research project explores the previously overlooked phenomenon of "hidden intermediaries" on digital platforms. We hypothesize that ordinary, non-prominent users play a mediating role between different cultural milieus through their comments and interactions on platforms like YouTube or Instagram—similar to the role once played by professional intermediaries in the book, music, or film industries. These "hidden intermediaries" may, through their online activities, connect communities and foster innovation, much like their counterparts in the traditional cultural industries.

As plausible as this assumption may be, it requires empirical investigation to determine whether these "hidden intermediaries" actually exist, and if so, how they behave and what motivates them. To this end, the project combines modern quantitative methods of Social Network Analysis (SNA) with qualitative observations of online activity, also known as "netnography." In the first step, users who bridge so-called structural holes between communities are identified using network analysis metrics such as "betweenness centrality." These users are then observed ethnographically (or, netnographically): their online behavior is recorded, their comments analyzed, and—if possible—they are interviewed.

The research focuses on comments on music videos from the German-speaking region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) that have been published on YouTube in recent years. Using YouTube’s developer interface (API), millions of comments on the most popular videos by selected artists are collected. A matrix is created from the connections between commenting users and the artists they comment on, which serves as the basis for identifying the "hidden intermediaries" through network analysis.

With its interdisciplinary approach, the project aims to make a significant contribution not only to research on digital platforms but also to the field of Computational Social Sciences, which investigates classical social science questions using methods from computer science. On the one hand, our approach brings human actors back into focus in platform research; on the other hand, we hope to generate synergies by combining quantitative big data methods with qualitative ethnographies. The project thus provides new insights into the digital transformation of cultural production—and perhaps also into the digital transformation of society as a whole.