有过网购经验的人大概都听说过淘宝上的“刷单军团”。月销量数千件、好评如潮、信誉五星的商家不一定真的那么靠谱，因为这些都可能是花钱刷出来的。在英语里，这种刷单、刷信誉的行为叫click farming，刷单军团就是click farm。

Click farm is an organized group of low-paid workers employed to click on particular parts of web pages, especially approval buttons in social media as a way of making businesses seem popular.

Click farm指有组织地雇佣一批低报酬工人专门点击网页上的某个部分，多数为社交网站上的“赞”或“喜欢”按钮，以使该页面上的交易看上去很有受欢迎，其实就是我们所说的“刷信誉团体”。

Research suggests that over a third of consumers regularly check ratings and reviews before they choose to buy something online. The growing significance of this virtual seal of approval for enhancing sales has, it seems, unleashed a rather unscrupulous business activity. Rather than having to wait for users to register their approval of your products and services, why not simply buy a whole shed-load of 'likes' and instantly demonstrate your popularity? To do this, you employ the services of a click farm.

研究显示，超过三分之一的消费者在网购前会查看相关产品的评级和评论。这种虚拟认可度在刺激销售方面日益突出的重要性似乎催生了一种不太公正的商业行为。与其坐等用户给你的产品和服务做出积极评价，何不直接花钱购买一批“赞”然后瞬间展示出你产品的受欢迎程度呢？想要达到这种效果，你就要花钱雇一个刷信誉团体。

Hundreds of companies have sprung up in the last couple of years specializing in click farming, delivering bundles of online approval to businesses requiring a quick and dirty way to boost their popularity.

过去几年涌现出了数百家专事刷信誉的公司，为那些想要通过非常规手段迅速提升知名度的商家送上大批的“赞”。

相关阅读

Showrooming 先逛店后网购

网购中的“自抬竞价”

网购“后悔期”

网购时代的monitor shopping

（中国日报网英语点津 Helen）