**Doublespeed Hack Reveals What Its AI-Generated Accounts Are Promoting**

In a shocking revelation, an anonymous hacker has exposed the inner workings of Doublespeed, a startup backed by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), that uses a vast network of AI-generated social media accounts to promote products. The hack, which compromised more than 1,000 smartphones powering the company's phone farm, revealed that the AI-generated accounts are promoting a wide range of products without proper disclosure.

The hacker, who wished to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation from the company, reported discovering the vulnerability on October 31. Despite reporting it to Doublespeed at the time, they claim that they still have access to the company's backend, including the phone farm itself.

"I could see the phones in use, which manager (the PCs controlling the phones) they had, which TikTok accounts they were assigned, proxies in use (and their passwords), and pending tasks," the hacker revealed. "As well as the link to control devices for each manager." The hacker also claimed that they could have used the phones for compute resources or even resorted to spamming, given the sheer number of devices under their control.

Doublespeed, which raised $1 million from a16z as part of its "Speedrun" accelerator program, uses generative AI to flood social media with accounts and posts promoting certain products on behalf of its clients. This type of astroturfing is often detected and removed by social media companies for violating their inauthentic behavior policies.

So-called "click farms" or "phone farms" have been used by various companies to fake online engagement, including reviews, using hundreds of mobile phones to emulate the behavior of real users. Doublespeed's use of a phone farm raises questions about its legitimacy and compliance with social media policies.

An investigation into the hacked accounts revealed that they were promoting a variety of products, including language learning apps, dating apps, a Bible app, supplements, and a massager. The lack of proper disclosure on these promotions is a major concern, as it can mislead consumers and undermine trust in online advertising.

As social media companies continue to grapple with the issue of fake accounts and inauthentic behavior, the Doublespeed hack serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with using AI-generated accounts for promotional purposes. The incident also raises questions about the accountability of startups like Doublespeed, which claim to be pushing the boundaries of innovation but may be compromising user trust in the process.

The hacker's decision to remain anonymous highlights the fear and uncertainty that can surround revelations of this nature. However, their bravery has shed light on a critical issue that deserves attention from regulators, industry leaders, and consumers alike.