The acquisition of metrics related to viewership for live broadcasts on the Instagram platform is a practice wherein individuals or entities pay for simulated or artificially inflated viewer counts. For example, a user might engage a third-party service to increase the number of viewers displayed during an Instagram Live session.
This practice is often undertaken with the intention of creating a perception of popularity or influence, potentially attracting organic viewers and fostering engagement. Historically, inflating metrics has been a strategy employed across various social media platforms to enhance visibility and perceived value. The perceived importance lies in the potential for increased discoverability and opportunities stemming from the inflated metrics.