Previous discussion:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42816284 - Jan 24, 2025 | 154 comments

So, how did all these hacked accounts or backdated posts happen? The article never says that even though the author talks to the site founder and admin.

Using AI to fake posting activity is bad.

Using real member accounts to post the fake AI content is so much worse.

I can’t even imagine the thought process that led to thinking it was a good idea to generate fake posts but assign them to real users. If they were going to fake posts, why not fake the users, too? They turned one bad decision into a much worse decision.

It must be sad to see your proud little corner of the internet decline in popularity, but this move took whatever positive historical vibes it had and lit them on fire.

The "Dead Internet Theory" is too sad and too easy. I'd propose the "Dead Society Theory", the history of the Internet from the late 2000s to the late 2010s left people socially scare, paranoid, angry and hopeless about the possibility of communicating online.

Which is to say the Internet can be "dead" without being filled with undetectable or detectable fake posts, not that fake posts help things.

Completely forgot about PhysicsForums.

Also this is a good example of the trend that has already been ongoing on HN since 2022. I think one other long-lasting HNer is working on a similar analysis of HN at the moment.