The practice of artificially inflating viewership on TikTok live streams through automated software constitutes a manipulation of platform metrics. This involves the use of programs designed to simulate human viewers, increasing the apparent popularity of a broadcast without genuine user engagement. For example, a script can be written to repeatedly connect to a live stream, thereby artificially boosting the ‘viewer count’ displayed to others.
The artificial inflation of live stream views offers a perceived advantage in visibility and potentially attracts organic viewers who are more likely to join streams with higher perceived popularity. Historically, this practice has been employed across various social media platforms to create the illusion of influence or boost advertising revenue. However, such methods often violate platform terms of service and can lead to penalties.