> an a16z-funded startup that uses a phone farm to flood social media with AI-generated TikTok accounts
Isn't this a bot farm? Don't they already exist and aren't they against TikTok's terms of service? The most surprising part of this article is that a16z invested in this.
A16z’s owners have been fairly open about their societally unpalatable attitudes of late. Maybe they were always like that, just a bit more private about it in the past.
In any case, their investment into this company just fits onto a trendline of high-capital antisocial behaviour.
If that surprises you, imagine the shady shit people with too much money invest in when the thought of "what if I hired some hackers" crosses their minds.
> I thought A16Z were a top-tier VC wanting to create long-term value.
They invested in Cheddr.
We're building the TikTok of sports wagering. Accessible by 18 to 21 year olds. Live in game micro betting. Swipe to predict every moment. It's sports wagering at the pace of a slot machine.[1]
They invested in Coverd.
Bet on your bills — OnlyFans, child support, and last night’s Uber. Wipe them from your credit card by playing your favorite casino games all from the comfort of our app.[2]
"We didn't build Coverd to help people inhibit their spending; we built it to make spending exciting. We let spenders win twice – the second time is when they play it back and win. Our users want immediacy and upside. Coverd gamifies transactions with real financial leverage, meeting users where they are and turning spending into a moment they look forward to," said Albert Wang, co-founder & CEO of Coverd.[3]
Brother, the only value VC aims to create is the value in their pockets in an exit event.
Either by having the company acquired by the usual suspects or the jackpot of an IPO where the general public will be bagholders. The damage their investments caused to society is immaterial, negative externalities they don't need to account for.
> It might be a bit facetious, but if I had 10m invested with them I'd be asking questions about their investment thesis.
The obvious answer is that the sort of people that have 10m invested with them just care about ROI.
Yeah, we're talking a VC. And one run by and named after two guys who between them have publicly backed racism+misogyny+xenophobia+nepotism, have asked for more housing to be built while blocking housing in their own city, etc.
Them investing in a troll farm is pretty on brand.
Having looked at https://doublespeed.ai/ out of morbid curiosity, I have to say a simple screenshot would have sent the message more effectively. Well, that and the tagline "a16z funded this".
Imagine investing your hard earned money into a phone farm that spams AI content in order to manipulate people into buying shit they don’t need, while our world burns.
I did some volunteer work with a non-profit conducting a survey in NYC about “food deserts”. I had to complete an hours long certification course—ethical boundaries and such—just so I can speak with people about fruits and vegetables. This audio makes it clear a16z’s rigorous approach to communication is coming from a dark and dangerous place.
This “playbook” speaks about _intentionally creating_ mental breakdown. Seems like an antichrist move to me.
Wow, this doublespeed company is abhorrent stuff. AI social media accounts masquerading as real people, coordinating to promote and distribute anything on demand.
If this is the kind of thing you can do in the open as a "reputable" company with VC investment, I can only imagine the kind of horrific industrial-scale social media spam+slop botnets for hire that exist less publicly.
51 comments
> an a16z-funded startup that uses a phone farm to flood social media with AI-generated TikTok accounts
Isn't this a bot farm? Don't they already exist and aren't they against TikTok's terms of service? The most surprising part of this article is that a16z invested in this.
also their website is unsettling https://doublespeed.ai/
In any case, their investment into this company just fits onto a trendline of high-capital antisocial behaviour.
> Michael: My father is no different than any powerful man, any man with power, like a president or senator.
> Kay Adams: Do you know how naive you sound, Michael? Presidents and senators don't have men killed.
>Michael: Oh. Who's being naive, Kay?
- The Godfather
> The most surprising part of this article is that a16z invested in this.
Why would this surprise you?
I thought A16Z were a top-tier VC wanting to create long-term value. I didn't see black-hat social media bot farms in their focus areas.
It might be a bit facetious, but if I had 10m invested with them I'd be asking questions about their investment thesis.
> I thought A16Z were a top-tier VC wanting to create long-term value.
They invested in Cheddr.
We're building the TikTok of sports wagering. Accessible by 18 to 21 year olds. Live in game micro betting. Swipe to predict every moment. It's sports wagering at the pace of a slot machine.[1]
They invested in Coverd.
Bet on your bills — OnlyFans, child support, and last night’s Uber. Wipe them from your credit card by playing your favorite casino games all from the comfort of our app.[2]
"We didn't build Coverd to help people inhibit their spending; we built it to make spending exciting. We let spenders win twice – the second time is when they play it back and win. Our users want immediacy and upside. Coverd gamifies transactions with real financial leverage, meeting users where they are and turning spending into a moment they look forward to," said Albert Wang, co-founder & CEO of Coverd.[3]
[1] https://player.vimeo.com/video/1067223945
[2] https://archive.is/XWKEI
[3] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/coverd-launches-app...
> I thought A16Z were a top-tier VC wanting to create long-term value.
That hasn’t been the case since they publicly went all-in into crypto scams.
> It might be a bit facetious, but if I had 10m invested with them I'd be asking questions about their investment thesis.
Their fund sizes have skyrocketed since.
> VC wanting to create long-term value
I nearly spit my coffee laughing at this.
Brother, the only value VC aims to create is the value in their pockets in an exit event.
Either by having the company acquired by the usual suspects or the jackpot of an IPO where the general public will be bagholders. The damage their investments caused to society is immaterial, negative externalities they don't need to account for.
> It might be a bit facetious, but if I had 10m invested with them I'd be asking questions about their investment thesis.
The obvious answer is that the sort of people that have 10m invested with them just care about ROI.
> I thought A16Z were a top-tier VC wanting to create long-term value.
Wait till you hear about this one called YC.
Them investing in a troll farm is pretty on brand.
> calling them the 'antichrist'
I'm not an expert on the antichrist, but I think they are at least better candidates than Greta Thunberg.
New Media Playbook https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/a16zs-new-media-playboo...
I still think it’s quite shocking.
I did some volunteer work with a non-profit conducting a survey in NYC about “food deserts”. I had to complete an hours long certification course—ethical boundaries and such—just so I can speak with people about fruits and vegetables. This audio makes it clear a16z’s rigorous approach to communication is coming from a dark and dangerous place.
This “playbook” speaks about _intentionally creating_ mental breakdown. Seems like an antichrist move to me.
* Y Combinator - vibe coders.
Are there any respectable VC tech companies out there in 2026?
If this is the kind of thing you can do in the open as a "reputable" company with VC investment, I can only imagine the kind of horrific industrial-scale social media spam+slop botnets for hire that exist less publicly.
And still Wikipedia calls the dead internet a ‘conspiracy theory’