The practice involves individuals using the Instagram direct messaging feature to initiate or cultivate relationships where one party provides financial support or gifts to another, typically in exchange for companionship or other forms of attention. This often entails younger individuals receiving benefits from older, wealthier benefactors.
Such digital interactions bypass traditional matchmaking methods and offer a potentially immediate avenue for establishing arrangements. The visual nature of Instagram, coupled with its direct messaging capabilities, allows for a curated presentation of oneself and the swift exchange of proposals and agreements. This has contributed to the increasing visibility and normalization of such relationships within certain online communities.