Cybersecurity firm Surfshark has published research detailing the financial cost of purchasing fake social media engagement, revealing that artificial video views cost as little as $1.40 per 1,000 interactions. Data collected at the end of July 2026 exposes how accessible online manipulation has become across platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X.
In an exclusive statement provided to Geek Native, Surfshark warned that this dynamic is creeping into niche markets like tabletop games. Automated bot networks allow unproven projects or mediocre board games to manufacture community enthusiasm, risking financial losses for backers and independent retailers who rely on online metrics to gauge genuine interest.
What our research really exposes is how cheap it is to fake credibility online, for as little as $1.40 per 1,000 views on TikTok, or up to $6.70 on YouTube, anyone can manufacture the appearance of popularity. That same dynamic is creeping into niche hobby markets like tabletop gaming, where a flood of purchased likes, reviews, or other forms of ‘engagement’ can make a mediocre product look like a community favorite. The problem is that these numbers are hollow, they don’t reflect real players, real feedback, or real demand. When a board game’s online buzz is manufactured rather than earned, backers and retailers are the ones left holding a product that never had the audience it claimed to have.”
Cost Comparison Across Social Media Platforms
| Platform | Views | Likes | Follows / Subscribes | Shares | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok | $1.40 | $13.05 | $18.37 | $68.00 | $139.98 |
| $2.32 | $9.89 | $19.79 | $37.33 | $103.92 | |
| X (Twitter) | $3.15 | $25.45 | $20.43 | $27.19 | — |
| $5.12 | $10.05 | $14.21 | $36.95 | $286.60 | |
| YouTube | $6.70 | $22.29 | $77.84 | $17.31 | $93.19 |
Views remain the cheapest interaction to purchase across all networks. In contrast, comments require the highest financial investment because platform spam algorithms regularly remove low-quality profiles.
Impact on Tabletop Crowdfunding and Retail
In the tabletop games market, social proof often determines whether a crowdfunding project reaches its funding target or secures retail distribution. High follower numbers create an impression of strong momentum. Because 1,000 followers on X or TikTok cost under $21, creators or campaign organisers can simulate audience enthusiasm before launching a project.
YouTube shows a distinct price distribution. While 1,000 subscribers cost $77.84, more than triple the rate of rival networks, 1,000 views cost only $6.70. Actual-play shows, or video previews, can quickly accumulate inflated view totals to satisfy commercial goals without securing true player support.
Identifying Artificial Engagement
Surfshark outlines practical steps to verify whether social media channels represent legitimate tabletop communities:
- Follower-to-Like Ratio: Legitimate accounts typically convert 1% to 5% of their total followers into likes per post. An account with 100,000 followers that gets fewer than 100 likes indicates automated follower inflation.
- Generic Comment Patterns: Brief, vague comments like “Great content!” or “Love this!” posted within narrow time windows signal automated bot activity.
- Subscriber Growth Spikes: Sudden vertical increases in channel follower counts suggest bulk account purchases rather than organic growth.
- Profile Audits: Fake profiles often share similar alphanumeric username formats, recent creation dates, and high numbers of outgoing follows paired with few friends.
Detailed data is available on the official Surfshark research portal.
Photo by Szabo Viktor on Unsplash.
