Does downloading an image necessarily create a demand for it?

[D]

Doesn't incentive need to be involved for the supplier in order for something to be considered demand?
What about images located in the 'deep web'?

[Timothy Campbell]

It depends on the source of the image. If, for example, the image appears on a page with ad banners then merely viewing it (even without downloading it) is an incentive for the owner of the page. If it proceeds as far as downloading then even if no fee is paid the owner of the originating page may consider that the image has some potential value. Potential value can be marketed just as proven value can be marketed — the internet (and other bubbles) have operated on this basis.

These principles apply not only to images but to text, too . Blogs or even Yahoo answers are good examples of the principle that apparent interest can incentivize the provider of the content. That's why Yahoo rewards people for rating answers; they know that this will encourage the answerers to provide more answers than they would if there was no such feedback.

To answer your question more thoroughly I'd have to know the circumstances. In some cases, such as Facebook laddering, the incentive is a zero-sum game and makes very little difference overall. It creates an illusion of great activity and incentive but it all boils down to a kind of pyramid scheme. Without knowing your specific situation I can't say more than that.