Exposurethrough

Exposurethrough is a term used to describe the process by which a person encounters information, media, or advertisements not directly from the original creator, but through intervening actors or channels. It emphasizes the route of exposure—the pathway through which content reaches an individual—rather than the initial source.

The term blends exposure with through to signal transmission via pathways. It has appeared in discussions of information diffusion in online environments during the 2010s and 2020s and remains nonstandard, though it is encountered in some media studies, marketing literature, and digital anthropology.

Exposurethrough occurs when content travels via intermediaries such as friends, influencers, editorial selections, or algorithmic recommendations, rather than by direct distribution from the creator. Key mechanisms include social sharing, cross-posting, endorsements, curated feeds, and search or recommendation systems that surface content to new audiences.

Researchers analyze exposurethrough by tracing exposure paths, measuring reach and path length, and applying diffusion models and social network analysis. Data may include platform interactions, timestamps, and audience demographics, while privacy and data access concerns limit precision.

Applications and implications: in marketing and public health, exposurethrough helps explain indirect reach and the role of trusted intermediaries in message penetration. It also highlights potential biases in exposure, unequal reach across networks, and challenges in attributing outcomes to specific sources.

See also: exposure, diffusion of innovations, social contagion, indirect exposure, influencer marketing.