Hack Reveals the a16z-Backed Phone Farm Flooding TikTok With AI Influencers

Following the rise of artificial intelligence in the social media landscape, more and more content produced by this technology is filling the world's most popular platforms. “Real” AI influencers promoting products that often do not exist or are of dangerously poor quality, videos depicting events that never happened, and similar material are just a few examples that illustrate the current situation.

Recently, the startup Doublespeed was hacked. The company uses a Phone Farm to manage hundreds of social accounts generated by artificial intelligence and promote products. However, the breach leaked the true nature of the products in question, which are often promoted without the necessary indication that they are advertisements. Through the attack, the hacker responsible managed to take control of more than a thousand smartphones that power the company.

According to the person responsible, he notified Doublespeed of the vulnerability on October 31. Through the latter, the hacker was able to view the phones and proxies in use, pending activities, and assigned Tiktok accounts.