Buying Your Way to The Top: The Underground Trade of Social Media and Streaming Metrics

• In Event: Cybercrime, Social Networks & Policing

Abstract

Various commodities are sold on darknet marketplaces (DNMs). An underexplored area of research is the sale of engagement (e.g., likes, comments, posts, followers etc.) and quality (e.g., ratings, reviews, and comments) metrics for social media and streaming platforms on DNMs. Depending on the jurisdiction, this practice can be considered as a form of cyber-enabled fraud against the platforms, businesses, and/or consumers, and/or an unfair or deceptive trade practice. Because little is known about the sale of these metrics on DNMs, this study, through a content analysis of 1235 product listings across multiple DNMs, identifies the types of metrics sold on DNMs, the costs of these metrics, the platforms targeted in the listings (e.g., Instagram, TikTok, Telegram, Twitch, etc.), and the ways these metrics can be used to commit cyber-enabled fraud and unfair or deceptive trade practices. The findings from this study can be used to inform the development of future research on this topic, and contribute to the creation of measures to counter the fraudulent, unfair and deceptive use and sale of engagement and quality metrics.

Authors

• Marie-Helen Maras, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, USA

• Kenji Logie, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York

• Michelle D. Miranda, Farmingdale State College, State University of New York