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I'm fairly sure there are multiple downvote bots operating on HN. Frequently, certain comments to topics considered by some as "political" on HN will get an imm
by jnbiche 9y ago
I'm fairly sure there are multiple downvote bots operating on HN. Frequently, certain comments to topics considered by some as "political" on HN will get an immediate 2 or 3 downvotes in the first 30 seconds, and then over the course of the next 2 or 3 hours, be upvoted back up to black.
Although it's possible that there's some confounding happening here, such as the handful of people who hit refresh on HN hundreds of times a day are also ones who can't stand certain political viewpoints. But it seems unlikely. Far more likely is that there are a handful of downvote bots in operation on a keyword basis.
It's not a huge deal to me, but it does seem kind of obvious.
- mistermann 9y agoI get downvoted on agreeable comments on 4 day old conversations....there's definitely bots or something going on.
- jnbiche 9y agoA downvote on a 4-day-old comment is unlikely to be a bot, since it's likely that no one will even see it. If you're seeing agreeable comments being downvoted after several days, it's probably just a grouchy misanthrope or two catching up on HN on their day off.
- ryanwaggoner 9y agoit's probably just a grouchy misanthrope or two catching up on HN on their day off. I do this :)
- julien_c 9y agojust a grouchy misanthrope or two catching up on HN on their day off. Who's calling me?
- DoreenMichele 9y agoA downvote on a 4-day-old comment... Is not possible since they turn downvotes off after 24 hours. /pedant As someone who incessantly refreshes HN and spends a fair amount of time on the Comments page, I see no reason why it wouldn't be people seeing new comments to older discussions via the Comments section rather than bots. Although I am a demographic outlier in multiple ways, I cannot possibly be the only person routinely cruising the new comments section.
- grzm 9y agoGood point about the new comments feed. I think your parent either misspoke or misunderstood their parent's "[downvoted] comments on 4 day old conversations", which would mean a new (down votable) comment on a thread that started 4 days earlier.
- mistermann 9y agoCorrect.....old conversation, new comment. The giveaway, imho, is a downvote on a completely inoffensive comment, combined with certain other increasingly common patterns.