The social media app Instagram has taken a harder stance on buying followers and likes by shutting down ‘like’ factory LikeUp.
According to Vice, Instagram (owned by Facebook) sent a cease and desist letter to LikeUp, a website where Instagram users could buy followers or ‘likes’.
Presumably, Instagram’s legal move worked because the ‘likes’ website is no longer active. Now, if you visit LikeUp, you are met with, “This service will no longer work. Sorry refunds for the last month are being processed.”
While Instagram technically prohibits fake likes or followers, the app has been criticised for being unproductive or at the very least inconsistent with its policing of fake likes and followers.
Countless influencers and celebrities have been accused of buying likes and followers. In 2014, Instagram purged fake accounts and famously Kim Kardashian lost over 1 million followers in the purge.
Recently, Instagram has seemingly been actioning a harder stance on fake followers and likes, the app has been deleting and suspending accounts that are using third parties to grow.
However, even with LikeUp, being shut down. There are still several apps you can download that offer customers bought followers and likes. The phenomenon is not exclusive to one service.
Still, perhaps the legal move by Instagram marks a change for the app and one day bought ‘likes’ and followers will no longer be a currency on the app.
