In recent years, we have started to hear more and more about the famous ‘streaming farms’. What are they? Basically, they are spaces (physical or virtual) full of mobile phones, computers or automated programmes that play over and over again songs, videos or any content on platforms such as Spotify, YouTube or TikTok. The goal? To artificially inflate the numbers of plays, views or ‘likes’, making it appear that a piece of content is much more popular than it really is.
These farms use bots, fake accounts, VPNs to simulate different locations, and a host of other tools to cheat the platforms’ systems. Why? Because more plays can translate into more visibility, higher rankings, more revenue from advertising or royalties, or even attract the interest of record labels, sponsors or brands.
While these practices are not always directly punishable by law, they do violate the platforms’ terms of use. And if discovered, it can have consequences: from account termination to loss of income or contracts. Moreover, depending on the country, it can even be considered fraud, unfair competition or cybercrime.
For those of us working in intellectual property, this brings complex challenges. First, it is very difficult to prove that someone used a streaming farm. Key data – such as IPs, geolocation or behavioural patterns – is held by the platform, and they are not always willing to share it. And without that information, it is more cumbersome to initiate a complaint or defend a customer.
On top of that, some artists can be unwitting victims: someone on the team (a marketing agency or a third party) hires a farm without the artist’s knowledge, and then he or she pays the consequences. Or, the other way around, a client is harmed because another artist used these methods and climbed the rankings undeservedly.
Furthermore, the farms affect the distribution of royalties: those who use these methods receive more money, to the detriment of those who achieve legitimate reproductions. This distorts the whole system.
In short, streaming farms are a real and growing problem. IP lawyers are challenged to combine legal and technical expertise with a good dose of strategy. We have to accompany our clients, review contracts, warn about the risks, and also participate in the debate to push for clearer and fairer rules for all.
Author: Manuel Pittaluga, partner specialising in Data Privacy.
Contact email: manuel@pittaluga.com
