Phone farms are not agricultural farms, but rather assemblies of smartphones or mobile devices linked to the internet. These devices are utilized for automated tasks like clicking on ads, filling out surveys, or running applications.
Behind Closed Doors: The Dark Secrets of Phone Farms
In the realm of online activities, scams propagate easily as people seek
effortless ways to earn money. Recently, "phone farms" have emerged as a
purported quick-fix method for generating income through tricks and
interactions. However, the question remains: are they genuine opportunities or
merely deceptive schemes?
What are phone farms?
They typically involve groups of smartphones or internet-connected devices
performing automated actions such as clicking advertisements, completing
surveys, running applications and games, and engaging with social media
content across platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and
other websites.
How do phone farms work?
Phone farms are remotely controlled by individuals or computer programs. These
individuals create automated software that mimics real user actions on the
phone, such as clicking on ads or completing surveys.
Typically, these devices are controlled remotely using software that allows
users to schedule and monitor tasks executed to generate revenue through
advertisements and other means. They are also used to artificially inflate app
ratings or social media interactions.
Where did the idea of click farms or smart phone and device farms start?
Many companies in various countries attract viewers by offering rewards for
watching advertisements or clicking on ad links, which sparked the idea of
creating phone farms.
The idea started small, as one person mentioned in an interview, "I used to
earn from watching Netflix ads, so I thought of buying four phones and
pretending to be four people watching Netflix ads, thereby quadrupling my
earnings through a small phone farm."
How do phone farm farmers benefit?
With the increasing investment in advertising and the profits distributed on
their views, the idea of phone farms in homes has become a regular thing in
many countries, and of course this fraud is a huge loss for the advertiser,
while he seeks views from real people, discovering that he paid huge sums
without any access to the real consumer.
Phone farms are believed to provide benefits such as:
- Make money: Phone farm owners can earn money by receiving a fee for each task completed.
- Increase engagement: Phone farms can be used to increase engagement with websites and apps, which can lead to increased profits.
- Data collection: Phone farms can be used to collect data about users' behavior.
Phone farms are widespread across China, India, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Vietnam,
Kazakhstan, Russia, Thailand, Venezuela, Indonesia, the Philippines, South
Africa, Europe, and the United States.
The practice of using robots to generate views and likes on most apps has been
phased out, leading many advertisers to rely on phone farms. These operations
involve hundreds of smartphones to ensure authentic interactions, allowing
them to circumvent platform scrutiny.
One Vietnamese investor mentioned overseeing a farm valued at $41,000. The
cost of likes on TikTok differs from that on YouTube, and views are priced
variably. He reported weekly earnings reaching $1,000, noting that generating
comments poses the greatest challenge in phone farming.
What are the dangers of phone farms?
Phone farms pose many risks, including:
- Cheating: Phone farms are used to cheat on advertising and survey systems, which can harm businesses and individuals alike.
- Privacy: A farmer may use phones to collect users' personal data without their consent.
- Security: A farmer may use phones to spread malware or steal data.
Are phone farms legal?
Of course not, but the laws for using phone farms vary from country to
country. In some countries, phone farms are illegal, while in others they are
allowed.
Phone farms are a controversial idea that offers some purported benefits but
raises many risks. Before engaging in any activity related to phone farms, it
is important to understand the legal and ethical risks associated with them.
