
Huge spike in App downloads? Don't get too excited - herodotus
https://www.cultofmac.com/311171/crazy-iphone-rig-shows-chinese-workers-manipulate-app-store-rankings/
======
herodotus
I have a free very niche iOS App which has been free. Recently, I saw a big
spike in downloads, almost all from China. Turns out many other providers of
free Apps have been seeing the same thing. The most plausible theory I have
found is the one mentioned in this article: a commercial click-farm that is
using free downloads to "normalize" the look of the fake users. I have
reported my concerns to Apple, but I also decide to charge 99c for my App.
This will eliminate the bogus downloads (I have no interest in being a
participant in a fraudulent activity), and for the few paid downloads I do
get, I will have the satisfaction of knowing that the downloader shares one of
my passions.

