Navigating the Digital Jungle: Tips and SCRIPTS for Talking and Teaching Your Kids About Click Farms.

Well maybe I’m naive and late to the party but I’ve just learnt about Click Farms

Take a look at the video & have a chat about ‘Click Farms’ with your kids.

It means using phones collectively to achieve goals such as increasing views, likes, comments, and automatic app downloads. It is a paid service.

They are often used for deception such as faking popularity, increasing followers, and generating fake engagement. These setups are capable of mass activity in minutes.

This is what your kids are competing with when they are on social media

Go for a #SmartphoneFreeChildhood

Listen to Navigating the Digital Jungle with Sue Atkins and Friends podcast where Tech meets Family Life – where we’ll be discussing Click Farms in more detail & exploring the role AI plays in it 😮

All Episodes are live across all podcast platforms.

                              The image offer a rare glimpse inside Vietnamese “click farms” that artificially generate likes, comments and shares on clients’ social media accounts. Jack Latham/Courtesy Here Press

Talking to kids about click farms can be challenging, but it’s important to explain the concept in a way that’s understandable and relatable.

Here are three scripts based on different age groups: young children (ages 6-8), pre-teens (ages 9-12), and teens (ages 13+).

1. Script for Young Children (Ages 6-8)

Parent/Teacher:
“Hey [Child’s Name], have you ever seen videos or games on your tablet or phone that have a lot of likes or stars? Sometimes, when people want their videos or games to look really popular, they do something called ‘click farms.’ Can you imagine a farm where instead of growing food, people are just clicking buttons all day?”

Child:
“That sounds silly! Why would they do that?”

Parent/Teacher:
“It is a bit silly, isn’t it? Some people think that if their videos or games have more likes or stars, more people will want to watch or play. But instead of earning those likes by making something fun or interesting, they pay people to click on the buttons over and over. It’s like pretending to win a game without playing it!”

Child:
“But that’s not fair!”

Parent/Teacher:
“Exactly! It’s much better when people like or play something because they really enjoy it, not because someone paid for those likes. It’s important to always be honest, even online. Do you understand why that’s important?”

Child:
“Yes, it’s better to be fair!”

Parent/Teacher:
“That’s right! We always want to do things the right way, even on the internet.”

2. Script for Pre-Teens (Ages 9-12)

Parent/Teacher:
“Hey [Child’s Name], have you heard of something called a ‘click farm’?”

Child:
“No, what is it?”

Parent/Teacher:
“A click farm is a place where people are paid to click on things like ‘like’ buttons or to follow accounts on social media. Imagine a room full of people just clicking away on their computers or phones all day. They’re not clicking because they like something, but because someone paid them to. Does that sound fair to you?”

Child:
“Not really. But why would someone pay for that?”

Parent/Teacher:
“Good question! Some people or companies want their posts, videos, or games to look really popular. They think if it looks like a lot of people like or follow them, more people will join in. But it’s like cheating because those likes or follows aren’t real—they’re just bought.”

Child:
“So, it’s kind of like lying?”

Parent/Teacher:
“Exactly! It’s like lying to make something look better than it really is. And the problem is that other people might get tricked into thinking it’s more popular or better than it really is. That’s why it’s important to know that not everything we see online is real. We should always be careful and think for ourselves.”

Child:
“I get it. It’s better to earn likes for real.”

Parent/Teacher:
“You got it! Being honest and earning things the right way is always the best choice.”

3. Script for Teens (Ages 13+)

Parent/Teacher:
“Hey [Teen’s Name], have you ever heard of click farms? Or maybe you’ve come across posts or accounts that seem to have tons of likes and followers but don’t seem legit?”

Teen:
“Yeah, I’ve seen stuff like that. What’s a click farm though?”

Parent/Teacher:
“Click farms are places where people are paid to click on links, like posts, or follow accounts. It’s all about creating the illusion of popularity. Companies or influencers sometimes use them to boost their numbers. But the truth is, those likes or followers aren’t genuine. They’re bought, not earned. What do you think about that?”

Teen:
“It sounds fake and pretty shady.”

Parent/Teacher:
“It is. The problem with click farms is that they create a false sense of credibility. People might see something with a lot of likes or followers and think it’s worth their time or money when it’s really just a trick. It’s a form of dishonesty, and it can be harmful, especially when people are influenced by what’s popular online.”

Teen:
“So it’s kind of like fooling people?”

Parent/Teacher:
“Exactly. It’s like fooling people into thinking something is better or more popular than it actually is. That’s why it’s important to be aware of this kind of thing and not take everything at face value. It’s always better to build a real reputation based on real engagement and honesty.”

Teen:
“Yeah, that makes sense. I’d rather earn my likes for real.”

Parent/Teacher:
“And that’s the best way to do it. Integrity always wins out in the long run.”