Hacker allegedly breaches A16Z‑backed phone‑farm backend, queues memes calling a16z the “antichrist”

What happened

It has been reported that a hacker gained access to a backend system used by Doublespeed, an a16z‑funded startup that runs a phone farm to operate AI‑generated TikTok accounts. Screenshots seen by 404 Media allegedly show a meme queued in customer dashboards reading “a16z is the antichrist. sponsored by doublespeed.ai,” complete with images of Marc Andreessen, a pole dancer, and an occult symbol. Yikes. Someone was clearly trying to make a point — loudly.

The captured dashboard text allegedly boasted “47MB exfiltrated. 573 accounts postable. 413 phones dumped. A16z portfolio security built different,” suggesting the intruder claimed to have stolen data and could post from hundreds of accounts. It appears the meme was not ultimately published to customers’ social channels; one impacted handle shown in screenshots did not feature the image when 404 Media checked.

Response and context

Doublespeed co‑founder Zuhair Lakhani told 404 Media the company “addressed [the unauthorized access] quickly,” calling the entry point an older queuing system kept for compatibility and saying they have since secured it. “Importantly, no unauthorized posts were successfully published, and we have not seen evidence that this attempt resulted in broader impact to customers,” he added.

This isn’t new territory for Doublespeed: it has been reported that the startup was previously hacked in December 2025, with leaked data showing hundreds of AI‑made TikTok accounts—many quietly promoting products without disclosure. The episode rekindles a thorny question: how do platforms and investors police services explicitly designed to evade authenticity rules? Call it Black Mirror meets adtech — and ask yourself, who’s minding the farm?

Sources: 404media.co, Hacker News