There were over 10 million e-commerce live-streaming sessions in China attracting more than 50 billion views in just the first half of the year, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce. Photo: EPA-EFE
China’s live-streamers use fake traffic and virtual gifts to draw real eyeballs
- The practice of paying for fake accounts to boost live stream viewer counts and virtual gift purchases is an ‘open secret’ in the industry, experts say
- Reasons range from pushing up live streams in recommendation rankings to earning fatter commissions from brands, but regulators are catching on
There were over 10 million e-commerce live-streaming sessions in China attracting more than 50 billion views in just the first half of the year, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce. Photo: EPA-EFE