What is Phone farms?

Phone farms are a controversial practice in the mobile application arena where an individual or an organization utilizes multiple smartphones or similar devices interconnected on a network to interact with an application, usually eluding automated systems to generate revenue, increase app usage, or inflate engagement statistics. These units are remotely controlled, giving them an opportunity to simulate the actions of a human user. They can be involved in numerous activities like watching videos, clicking on ads, or downloading apps.

Formula

Creating a phone farm requires multiple devices, apps and scripts, internet connection, a server connection, and an orchestration software. Through the software, actions are controlled and automated. The devices used are typically low-cost Android smartphones.

Example

An example could be an organization that uses phone farms to inflate the number of views on their YouTube videos. Through this, they manage to create an illusion of popularity, helping them attract real users organically.

Why is Phone farms important?

While phone farms could be a quick method to achieve inflated vanity metrics, they are typically regarded negatively. They result in skewed data, fraudulent activities, and disrupt fair competition. eCommerce platforms, marketers, and referencing platforms often lose money as they pay out advertising fees based on fake clicks and views.

Which factors impact Phone farms?

Mitigating phone farms’ impact involves developing better detection algorithms and investing in mobile application security. Apps should be designed to recognize device engagement patterns and identify suspicious activities. More robust regulatory and legal infrastructure is also necessary to deter such instances.

How can Phone farms be improved?

The effectiveness of phone farms is influenced by the size of the farm, the complexity of the automation scripts, the kind of engagement they are designed to simulate, and the robustness of the detection systems in place.

What is Phone farms’s relationship with other metrics?

Phone farms influence various eCommerce metrics such as app downloads, app usage/engagement, app store rankings, ad impressions, and ad clicks. Consequently, they can potentially skew strategic decisions made by businesses, undermining the validity of these metrics, and hamper the overall digital marketing ecosystem, hence negatively affecting eCommerce’s integrity.