Price of a 'bot army' revealed across hundreds of online platforms
Summary
Cambridge University researchers introduce the Cambridge Online Trust and Safety Index (COTSI), a global, real-time price index for fake account verifications across 500+ platforms in over 100 countries. A Science-published analysis shows wide price disparities for SMS verifications, with elections driving spikes on messaging platforms, and highlights a thriving shadow market of SIM farms and bulk account provisioning. The authors advocate for policy interventions and transparency measures to curb online manipulation and misinformation.