YouTube, Twitter, and other follower-based social media sites are all about popularity – but how many of famous social mediaites' followers are legitimate?

In an independently-produced  investigative piece, Frank Elaridi explores the growing practice of purchasing followings. Buying social media clout may not be a bad idea for filmmakers or YouTube and Twitter personalities who are looking to expand their reach.

Fame: For Sale takes a deeper look at the phenomenon of artists and celebrities boosting their profiles and using their increased followership to cash in.

What are the incentives to building a faux following on social media? Are there any drawbacks? How might this kind of purchasing change the legitimacy of social media fame?   

Guest:
Frank Elaridi, the journalist behind “Fame: For Sale,” an independently-produced investigative feature. He is also a freelance producer for ABC Network News

Karen North, Director, Annenberg Program on Online Communities, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism