Memission

Memission is a term used in media studies and memetics to describe the process by which memetic content is produced and released by individuals, organizations, or algorithms within a communicative network. The term blends memory and emission to denote both the creation of ideas and their outward dissemination.

Definition and scope: Memission refers to the intentional or incidental generation of content that is designed or likely to be memetically replicable, followed by its release into social media, forums, and other networks. It emphasizes the originator's role and the content's potentially replicable features as drivers of further diffusion, rather than just the passive transmission of content.

Origins and usage: Memission began appearing in online discussions on memetics and digital sociology in the 2010s, though it remains informal and varies in usage across studies. It is not a standardized term in mainstream information diffusion research, but it is used to discuss acts of content creation and initiation of diffusion cascades.

Mechanisms: Memission rate is affected by creator activity, platform affordances, audience segmentation, and feedback. Content with high novelty, emotional charge, or alignment with current trends tends to have higher memission potential. Algorithmic amplification can increase visibility, thereby elevating effective memission.

Measurement and applications: Researchers may quantify memission using metrics such as emission events per time unit, initial reach, engagement after release, and the replication factor. Applications include analyzing viral campaigns, influencer strategies, and the dynamics of online culture.

Critique: As a loosely defined concept, memission risks conflating content creation with diffusion, and it may overlap with existing notions of content production and viral dynamics. See also: memetics, information diffusion, virality.