Re:Russian Vending Machine Sells Fake Instagram Likes
by achamayou on Sunday June 11, 2017 @05:55PM
(#14534006)
People chose to care, and you define a like in the terms you've stated. But Instagram makes no such claims, neither about the nature of the likes, nor restricts particularly how they can be created.
If anything, the example you give example supports the notion that "fake" likes are just as good as real likes, since pretending to be a celebrity can in fact make you famous.
Re:Russian Vending Machine Sells Fake Instagram Likes
by untog on Sunday June 11, 2017 @06:11PM
(#14534079)
It seems needlessly obtuse to say that Instagram have never stated that a "like" represents someone liking your photo. That's the reason they called it a "like". If you want to make the argument that Instagram chose a name for something without wanting to attach any meaning to it then good luck to you, but it's not a conversation I'm interested in having.
> nor restricts particularly how they can be created.
Untrue, given that they've cracked down on bots posting automated activity on Instagram:
http://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-cracks-down-on-fake...
Which is obviously untrue. Are digital photos of your child's birthday just a collection of ones and zeroes? No, they are not.
A like is an indication that someone you know is impressed by/is fond of/just generally liked something you posted. Yes, I know, social media is all false, people care too much about internet points, yadda yadda yadda, blah blah blah. The point is that they do care.
Fake likes are actually an interesting phenomenon. I'm reminded of a real world equivalent, where someone pretended to be a celebrity in Times Square, and tourists there believed it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYU1a0lTTTw
If you look like you are important, people treat you like you are. It's a fascinating psychological phenomenon. Boiling it all down to "integer values" is just silly.