An Introduction to Bot Farms
Bot farms are large networks of automated programs used to carry out tasks quickly and at a large scale. Not all bots are nefarious; many provide legitimate and beneficial services like accurate and efficient data processing, indexing of web pages, and software testing. Some bots are used to run internet accounts that simulate human behavior on a variety of platforms across the web. These coordinated networks are used for a number of reasons; some to create online buzz about stocks, others to boost download numbers and increase visibility in app stores, and many are used to spread specific opinions across social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.
Images courtesy of Jack Latham of Here Press
The images above show a "click farm" in Vietnam's capital city, Hanoi. CNN's Bibek Bhandari reported on Jack Latham's visit to Vietnam, where he photographed five of these digital workshops. The operations Latham visited were run out of hotel rooms and residential properties. While the physical setups were different in each location, the purpose remained consistent: generating clicks, posts, and comments across varied social media platforms. Latham also purchased his own click-generating setup in Vietnam, which he exhibited at the 2024 Images Vevey Festival in Switzerland.
This website shares a common goal with photographer Jack Latham: to educate others about the ways bots are influencing the world both on and offline. As Latham tells Bhandari, "When people are better equipped with knowledge of how things work, they can make more informed decisions."