Artificial Inflation on ATS Trending Pages

I suspect that there's some artificial inflation of specific topics on the ATS real-time trending pages tool. It was discussed in a Thread, and particularly mentioned in this Post.

It's not a big deal as long as people know that the perceived popularity of threads can be manipulated by a user who wants to artificially inflate their viewership. Since the counts on the trend are not based on IP addresses, a single user can open their own thread 200 times on multiple different computers and make the top of the list.

The reason I suspect this practice is widespread is because there will be a moderately active thread with 25+ pages, and the trending says that 175 people are still staring at page 1 of the thread.

I think it is a great tool and a great idea, but it would be nice if it paid attention to IP addresses. Someone would have to go through a bit more trouble (proxies on multiple computers, etc) to manipulate the numbers if it could be improved in that regard.

Until then, I think I'll trust the other tools for popular topics so I don't get fished into thinking that 200 people want to read someone's ramblings about the end of the world.

reply to post by InTheFlesh1980


I just ran a test on my latest thread. I opened it up in a bunch of tabs and it shot up in the ratings. When I closed all the tabs, it fell back down again.

You don't need multiple computers to skew the ratings; one will do and all you have to do is open loads of tabs. They should look into fixing that.

its beta stuff happens
but you do have a point
which im sure
they know about

This thread now has over 100 viewers of page 1, and it ain't me, the OP. I think someone's helping to make my point here.

reply to post by InTheFlesh1980

Good. Now everybody knows. Thanks for the heads up. And I thought hundreds of people were waiting to read what I had to say on a subject. Thats changed now too. Some times I am in a thread and I ask a question and later I notice that the fur ball just went bickering on by.

reply to post by InTheFlesh1980

Yah, everyone is testing your premise... it works.
Were in for it now. I see the end of the trending page. They should x this thread, quick.

reply to post by intrptr


Well, I don't think they should kill the thread because it's posted in the Business & Questions forum, and I think it's a legit question about site business.

But I wouldn't be offended if it got nixed, either. I'm just pointing it out so fellow ATS'ers can keep it in mind when assessing the popularity of a given topic.

Hahahaha brilliant work not bad

Originally posted by InTheFlesh1980
reply to post by intrptr

 

Well, I don't think they should kill the thread because it's posted in the Business & Questions forum, and I think it's a legit question about site business.

But I wouldn't be offended if it got nixed, either. I'm just pointing it out so fellow ATS'ers can keep it in mind when assessing the popularity of a given topic.

Yah, sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I guess it was more you're right, open tabs a bunch works and that we should keep that quiet, but obviously some know that already because there are threads that have been up top for days it seems. Thanks for cluing me in to that.