There’s another way social media is trying to manipulate viewers.
The New York Times reports people are selling fake views on YouTube videos.
The NYT found hundreds of sites that increase a video’s count by hundreds, thousands or millions…and that translates to money that’s made by misleading consumers and advertisers.
Spencer Fane cyber security and data privacy attorney Shawn Tuma said fake views is a fertile ground for fraud.
“It starts as an authentic conversation and people buy into it and they believe it. And, then people start to see it as a game and then they start to figure out ways to manipulate that game,” said Tuma.
The YouTube paid-for fake-views is reportedly manipulating the whole social media's ecosystem.
Tuma said getting views is the de facto currency of YouTube.
“We now live in such a shallow, superficial society, that that’s really how we determine value,” said Tuma. “We’ve replaced substance with something as simple as the click of the button.”
He said selling fake YouTube views is the snake oil salesman of the modern era.