4 ms·

It's pretty well known that map makers do this, adding non-existent small localities to detect when someone is blindly copying their work.

Cthulhu_ 4y ago
Same with dictionary makers, they will insert some credible looking made-up words here and there. Wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictitious_entry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictitious_entry
rolph 4y ago
i wonder how many people have died or had life changing experiences, because they thought there would be a village, but found only rocks and bushes there.
- Firmwarrior 4y ago
  It definitely caused someone to meet a bad end in "The Annihilation of Angkor Apeiron"
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
zikduruqe 4y ago
I used to work in a laboratory where we tested pre-production cell phones (this was before the iPhone...). Different OEMs would send us sample devices with different fonts on the keypad, or with little blemishes on the keypad, or would put little subtle cosmetic changes to devices to catch leakers. Funny when you would see devices pop up on the internet with these little things, and wonder who lost their contracts/jobs/etc/... When Palm was creating the Pre, we had some security dude come to our lab to show us how to securely store, transport, test and inventory devices. It was crazy.
- jimmySixDOF 4y ago
  I remember coming across these pirated DVDs etc where they had some kind of Academy watermarks from pre release or intros that were supposed to be give aways as to the source path for smoke testing.
  - crtasm 4y ago
    Even visibly putting someone's name in a watermark won't always prevent one from getting shared https://waxy.org/2014/01/ellen_degeneres_walter_mitty_screener_leaks_online/ https://waxy.org/2014/01/ellen_degeneres_walter_mitty_screen...
    - greggsy 4y ago
      The threat exclusion is usually a very effective deterrent
- kotaKat 4y ago
  Funnily enough -- I came across a prototype Pantech device and I suspect that it's not only disguised for the carrier, but also the design and number of the Os could help trace its origin. https://www.ebay.com/itm/134172491386 https://www.ebay.com/itm/134172491386
adolph 4y ago
Yes, it is a fascinating topic: Fictitious or fake entries are deliberately incorrect entries in reference works such as dictionaries, encyclopedias (including Wikipedia), maps, and directories. There are more specific terms for particular kinds of fictitious entry, such as Mountweazel, trap street, paper town, phantom settlement, and nihilartikel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictitious_entry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictitious_entry In cartography, a trap street is a fictitious entry in the form of a misrepresented street on a map, often outside the area the map nominally covers, for the purpose of "trapping" potential plagiarists of the map who, if caught, would be unable to explain the inclusion of the "trap street" on their map as innocent. On maps that are not of streets, other "trap" features (such as nonexistent towns, or mountains with the wrong elevations) may be inserted or altered for the same purpose. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trap_street https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trap_street

Cthulhu_ 4y ago

Same with dictionary makers, they will insert some credible looking made-up words here and there. Wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictitious_entry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictitious_entry

rolph 4y ago

i wonder how many people have died or had life changing experiences, because they thought there would be a village, but found only rocks and bushes there.

Firmwarrior 4y ago
It definitely caused someone to meet a bad end in "The Annihilation of Angkor Apeiron"

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

zikduruqe 4y ago

I used to work in a laboratory where we tested pre-production cell phones (this was before the iPhone...). Different OEMs would send us sample devices with different fonts on the keypad, or with little blemishes on the keypad, or would put little subtle cosmetic changes to devices to catch leakers. Funny when you would see devices pop up on the internet with these little things, and wonder who lost their contracts/jobs/etc/... When Palm was creating the Pre, we had some security dude come to our lab to show us how to securely store, transport, test and inventory devices. It was crazy.

jimmySixDOF 4y ago
I remember coming across these pirated DVDs etc where they had some kind of Academy watermarks from pre release or intros that were supposed to be give aways as to the source path for smoke testing.
- crtasm 4y ago
  Even visibly putting someone's name in a watermark won't always prevent one from getting shared https://waxy.org/2014/01/ellen_degeneres_walter_mitty_screener_leaks_online/ https://waxy.org/2014/01/ellen_degeneres_walter_mitty_screen...
  - greggsy 4y ago
    The threat exclusion is usually a very effective deterrent
kotaKat 4y ago
Funnily enough -- I came across a prototype Pantech device and I suspect that it's not only disguised for the carrier, but also the design and number of the Os could help trace its origin. https://www.ebay.com/itm/134172491386 https://www.ebay.com/itm/134172491386

adolph 4y ago

Yes, it is a fascinating topic: Fictitious or fake entries are deliberately incorrect entries in reference works such as dictionaries, encyclopedias (including Wikipedia), maps, and directories. There are more specific terms for particular kinds of fictitious entry, such as Mountweazel, trap street, paper town, phantom settlement, and nihilartikel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictitious_entry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictitious_entry In cartography, a trap street is a fictitious entry in the form of a misrepresented street on a map, often outside the area the map nominally covers, for the purpose of "trapping" potential plagiarists of the map who, if caught, would be unable to explain the inclusion of the "trap street" on their map as innocent. On maps that are not of streets, other "trap" features (such as nonexistent towns, or mountains with the wrong elevations) may be inserted or altered for the same purpose. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trap_street https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trap_street