People can become Instagram influencers overnight by spending around USD 300

[razaldo]

I originally came across this article through a local blog (linked at the end of this post).

 

So apparently this reporter spent around around USD 450 to create two profiles (yes, the title says 300 since the reporter spent 300 on one profile and 150 on another).

 

They had two strategies - for one profile some of the content was created while some was sourced, for the other profile all the content was sourced.

Quote

To prove whether or not it's possible for accounts with fake followers and engagement to secure brand sponsorship deals, Mediakix created two fictitious Instagram influencer accounts grown completely with bought followers and engagement (likes and comments) and applied to campaigns on popular influencer marketing platforms.

 

Not only can one buy fake followers (@ USD 3 to 8 per 1,000 users) but can also buy fake engagement in the form of comments, likes et all (@ USD 4 to 9 per 1,000 likes).

Quote

The pricing for followers ranged from $3-8 per 1,000 followers, depending on the reliability of the service. Websites that sold followers on the lower end of that price range often did not deliver in a timely manner, or sometimes at all, so we switched to more expensive follower providers later in the project. Even at $8 per 1,000 followers, we were able to accumulate over 30,000 followers for the travel account and over 50,000 followers for the fashion account with minimal investment over the course of just two months.

 

Quote

Once we had accumulated a few thousand followers for each account, we started buying likes and comments. We paid around 12 cents per comment, and between $4-9 per 1,000 likes. On the lower end of that price range, it took around 24 hours for the likes to appear, whereas, on the higher end of that price range, likes were delivered instantly. For each photo, we purchased 500 to 2,500 likes and 10 to 50 comments.

 

The surprising part is still to come - they were able to land brand sponsorship deals as well!

 

Considering the decent amount of money at stake, it is not surprising that one has access to these kind of services. However, there is an opportunity for some sort of audit / due diligence service that can verify the authenticity of such users. Twitter, Facebook etc. can not bother since they are dealing with millions / billions of users and dedicating resources for something that would lead to reducing the number of users might not be on the top of their priority list.

 

My question is - are there any companies / websites that cross check and verify the authenticity of such 'online influencers'?

 

Notes:

Link to the local blog post: 248am

[You_are_a_cunt]

I've come across a metric shitload of "artists" that were referred to me, asking me to get them x number of facebook followers, YouTube subs, video views and whatnot. (I was community manager/social media guy for a DotA 2 team for a while and just because I did my job right and got some traction for the team, people assumed I was buying/selling the stuff).

It's actually a really common thing

[Kukielka]

How is this tech news. lol

[razaldo]

2 minutes ago, revsilverspine said:

I've come across a metric shitload of "artists" that were referred to me, asking me to get them x number of facebook followers, YouTube subs, video views and whatnot. (I was community manager/social media guy for a DotA 2 team for a while and just because I did my job right and got some traction for the team, people assumed I was buying/selling the stuff).

It's actually a really common thing

So how many subs can you get me if I start my YouTube channel . I can buy you the best doughnut money can buy in Krispy Kreme.

 

Jokes apart, does anyone offer verification / due diligence services for such a thing?

[razaldo]

1 minute ago, Kukielka said:

How is this tech news. lol

Will move this to another section then - waiting for the mods to suggest

[The Belgian Waffle]

Isn't it like against Instagram's terms and conditions?

[razaldo]

5 minutes ago, The Belgian Waffle said:

Isn't it like against Instagram's terms and conditions?

Yes

 

But it still is not easy for instagram to identify them, even if someone reports them.

[You_are_a_cunt]

12 minutes ago, razaldo said:

So how many subs can you get me if I start my YouTube channel . I can buy you the best doughnut money can buy in Krispy Kreme.

 

Jokes apart, does anyone offer verification / due diligence services for such a thing?

As far as I know YouTube has a system for detecting abnormal subscriber/view patterns. Fake subs get removed and the AdSense account tied to the channel gets banned (alongside permanent demonetization of the channel)

[Teddy07]

22 minutes ago, Kukielka said:

How is this tech news. lol

same shit with the child abuse story lately

[captain_to_fire]

1 hour ago, razaldo said:

So apparently this reporter spent around around USD 450 to create two profiles (yes, the title says 300 since the reporter spent 300 on one profile and 150 on another).

This is how internet fame whores are born. If someone wants to become the next Jake Paul, all they need is $300 for extra followers. Also, I don't think this is a tech news.

Edited August 24, 2017 by hey_yo_

[Tech_Dreamer]

it's a virtual blackmarket for popularity .

[AlTech]

I think the title of this should be edited a bit to clarify it.

[razaldo]

4 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

I think the title of this should be edited a bit to clarify it.

Done