Fake User Accounts

Comments revolve around creating, using, detecting, and debating fake user accounts and data to inflate metrics, pollute data collection, enable testing, or deceive algorithms and services.

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2,889
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#3851
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

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Keywords

AI abovethelaw.com OK SSN CQ FCC PII API FYI BUT fake data profiles users crew accounts disaster plausible fcc persona

Sample Comments

dwiel • Aug 21, 2013 • View on HN

Better would be a code which reveals a convincing fake account/data.

muttled • Jul 22, 2023 • View on HN

It's probably making it up. I scrubbed the PII vs a list of fake names and info.

jsemrau • Mar 25, 2018 • View on HN

It would be fun if there were a service to create false profiles to pollute the data miners of this world.

Overtonwindow • Feb 9, 2017 • View on HN

Why couldn't they create fake accounts?

hetspookjee • Dec 26, 2019 • View on HN

Well this fake account will grow with fake data untill it's a pretty real account, right?

andrei-akopian • Oct 22, 2024 • View on HN

Who is making the fake info generator for all of these?

duxup • Oct 1, 2025 • View on HN

I don't think that would work, the stories said they generated fake data. There would be users presumably.

meindnoch • Apr 15, 2023 • View on HN

This is why you should always use fake data when registering somewhere.

emidln • Aug 28, 2015 • View on HN

It's easier to fake users than to attract real users.

catshirt • Feb 2, 2011 • View on HN

am i the only one who cringes at the thought of faking users?