What does targeted, sweep-evading, story vandalism look like?

[ElectricBlue]

I wasn’t clear enough. You’ve spoken about the relationship between views votes and comments. In a stochastic process, it would be lumpy, some votes would have less views in between. Some might even be two views two votes. But on average you might have - say - 100 views per vote.

What I see is minuscule changes in views (like 3, or 5) and two 1️ votes. As a one off, or just infrequently, that could happen. But as something that is repeated and repeated and if it’s the only votes a story gets… well what do you think?

These stories basically have no activity on them except for 1️ votes. That just wouldn’t happen without human / script activity.

That explanation makes sense, thanks.

It sucks that you have such a dedicated troll. Why don't you turn voting off for a while - they'll get bored and go away.

 

[EmilyMiller]

they'll get bored and go away.

Have you read this thread? People I’ve not interacted with in years and still get their endorphin kicks by trying to get my attention.

 

[Duleigh]

Thanks to @Cacatua_Galerita for suggesting a good chart-based approach to visualizing this area here.

I don’t track voting on all my stories, and sometimes I do it at the beginning and then stop (though I keep an eye on voting even if I no longer update my spreadsheet). But here are partial voting patterns on five of my most recent stories.

View attachment 2599799

I’d draw your attention to the pairs of 1️ votes in red ellipses. This same pattern being repeated across multiple stories is not explainable by a stochastic process, it’s a clear signature of malign intent.

In all of the above cases, the pairs of one bombs continued after I gave up tracking them. And, as the real views / votes dry up over time, virtually all of the later votes are pairs of 1️s, regularly appearing each morning and - in particular - if any of my recent stories ever claws its way back over 4.5.

The result is that between 12 and 20% of the votes on these stories are 1️s. And the story ratings are sadly between 3.84 and 4.25. With that high a percentage of one bombs, it’s not mathematically possible to break 4.5, which is of course the intent of the vandal.

None of the above malicious votes have ever been swept. They are cast in a manner which is sweep-proof. But I challenge anyone to argue that these votes are anything but intentional, motivated vandalism.

I have informed the site multiple times, but there has been no action. I no longer publish here as a result.

I now read that is happening to other people - @MelissaBaby has mentioned it only yesterday.

It could happen to you next.

I FIXED IT

It has happened to me several times - I do not think it is troll activity but an issue with the database here at Literotica World Headquarters.

It started last year with three stories getting hammered, each story was chapter 3 of a series. These three series had been sitting here on Literotica for a long time and only one was being added to. Every day chapter 3 would receive not one but two one-bombs and the scores were plummeting precipitously. I download my score data every day and save the csv file in a work book for that month. Why? Because I can. I immediately notified The Powers That Be (Laurel and Manu) and they said the proper way was to report the story. Select "REPORT" at the bottom of each page and select other and send them the data.

This, of course did nothing except earn me a DM requesting that I do not report it so often. I turned to a friend whose only advice was "The squeaky wheel gets the grease."

I continued to report each story EVERY DAY, including the data that I collected showing when the barrage started what the original score was, how many votes it received and how this whole thing started back in August when the entire site was crapped out. Then, with no response I followed up the reports with a DM to Laurel and Manu summarizing the reports I made that evening. Daily. Each message was respectful, and informative

Eventually I received a reply saying that they're overworked and under appreciated and they know what the problem is. Their wording made it sound like it was some troll hacking the site which I highly doubt but I didn't say that.

I replied in the most eloquent, respectful language that I had been a member as long as this site has been open, and yes it's a free service to us, but I would appreciate it if she kept in mind that she was getting free content from a professional author (I truly doubt they know where my books can be found) and this issue is affecting the both of us. I then said "I RESPECTFULLY request an end to this harassment end would appreciate the scores of these stories be returned to their original setting when this started.

It worked. However one more story started getting bombed again last month. I did the same thing again and it stopped and my stories have been swept for the past 4 days.

You don't resolve anything by quitting - in fact you do the rest of us a great disservice by walking away. We're left to fight the battle with a missing person. You win by fighting back, with respect, but it's clear that The Powers that Be aren't watching what their 'empire' is doing other than selling ad space. The contests that we used to enjoy are gone without a word, the monthly, the annual awards, all gone, and they're happily leaving it up to us authors to keep the fires burning with our events. They don't listen to us when we have positive feedback so we have to make them listen to us when their db is falling apart.

Stay and fight. Be respectful, but be firm. Don't threaten to quit because most other sites really suck regardless how pretty they are. (Any site run by a guy named Laz should be considered "flakey")

 

[EmilyMiller]

I’d also repeat what others have said, the very clear connection between posting on AH and then getting one bombed. Multiple authors have reported this. We have this cozy fantasy that it’s random ‘fans’ doing this vandalism. Fans don’t care that much, only authors do. You have to really obsessive to attack another author, but - again - look at this thread.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Stay and fight. Be respectful, but be firm.

It’s kinda uncool to suggest that I didn’t politely and repeatedly contact the site with very detailed evidence. I did this for a long time with no response. I tried PMs and story reports. I was factual and professional. I said I know they are busy. I asked them to take a look when they had time. I followed up equally politely after 48 hours.

NOTHING HAPPENED FOR MONTHS.

This is not a lack of politeness or perseverance on my part. It took sustained lack of action by the site over an extended period for me to say enough is enough.

I’m a rational adult, not a kid. I hold a management position.

And this is not a database bug.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I’d also repeat what others have said, the very clear connection between posting on AH and then getting one bombed. Multiple authors have reported this. We have this cozy fantasy that it’s random ‘fans’ doing this vandalism. Fans don’t care that much, only authors do. You have to really obsessive to attack another author, but - again - look at this thread.

You FALSELY accused me once. Don't you fuckin' dare again. >:/

 

[RejectReality]

If you're convinced it's someone from here, then coming here and crying about it like clockwork is feeding that troll a banquet.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Not throw gas on the fire, but I noted earlier that my new stories all get one-bombed at about 0600 my time. Well, new story went up this morning and, right on time, almost to the minute, yes, a One (with the number of votes at this point, one can tell).

It happens. I'm not worried or upset; the sweeps will deal with it, just putting it out there for those who still say bombing isn't real.

 

[EmilyMiller]

the sweeps will deal with it

Not one of my malicious pairs of one bombs has been swept. I’ve had other votes swept, single threes, for example.

I keep saying that it’s easy to evade sweeps. We get dumb one bombs and we get smart one bombs. I have examples of the latter that date back to Valentine’s 2025 and have never been swept in any of the intervening comps.

 

[SimonDoom]

If you're convinced it's someone from here, then coming here and crying about it like clockwork is feeding that troll a banquet.

I think this is a real threat. I also worry that a thread like this encourages and educates trolls on how to be smarter about trolling, so as to avoid sweep detection. It perhaps feeds the beast in more ways than one.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

t started last year with three stories getting hammered, each story was chapter 3 of a series. These three series had been sitting here on Literotica for a long time and only one was being added to. Every day chapter 3 would receive not one but two one-bombs and the scores were plummeting precipitously. I download my score data every day and save the csv file in a work book for that month. Why? Because I can. I immediately notified The Powers That Be (Laurel and Manu) and they said the proper way was to report the story. Select "REPORT" at the bottom of each page and select other and send them the data.

This, of course did nothing except earn me a DM requesting that I do not report it so often. I turned to a friend whose only advice was "The squeaky wheel gets the grease."

I continued to report each story EVERY DAY, including the data that I collected showing when the barrage started what the original score was, how many votes it received and how this whole thing started back in August when the entire site was crapped out. Then, with no response I followed up the reports with a DM to Laurel and Manu summarizing the reports I made that evening. Daily. Each message was respectful, and informative

Uhh, that's not respectful. That's spam.

 

[EmilyMiller]

To directly answer methodology questions, here is the data behind exhibit #4 in the chart I published at the top of this thread:



I stopped recording votes at this point, but the same story is now at 4.19️ after 94 votes. So the average vote since I stopped tracking is 3.99️.

I haven’t stored the results, but if I was to look at the last ten votes, I’m pretty sure their average would be 1.00️, or at least close to it. Maybe some random reader also found my work in that period and voted honestly on it.

No one is reading this old story, and yet it attracts 1️ votes like clockwork. The latest batch this morning, which is when they are always posted.

All totally normal of course .

Happy to answer any other methodology questions.

 

[EmilyMiller]

More data:

If I ignore 750 word stories (which we all know get generally terrible ratings and have technical attributes that make them unsweepable), Loving Wives (same issues with rating), then my latest seven stories occupy all but one of my eight worst rated stories slots. The other one was my attempt to tell a different type of T/I story, which that crowd hated.

So anyone want to hazard a guess as to the probability of essentially all of my worst performing stories being the most recent ones?

HINT: It’s not a very big number.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I spoke too soon, only four of my seven most recent stories were hit this morning and only with one bad vote (1️ or 2️ each). I have seen this pattern occasionally. The most recent pairs of 1️ votes have generally been in response to one of these stories clawing its way back to 4.5️. But that hasn’t occurred in ages as it would take an awful lot of 5️ votes for that to happen now, and the stories are old and very few people are reading them. The only activity on them in recent months has been troll activity.

Other authors have reported low votes on otherwise dormant stories. I’m aware that I’m probably an extreme case, but - again - they will move onto the next person who annoys them in time. With what I assume is a script, the effort to target someone else (or a portfolio like the top lists) is minimal.

 

[TheRedChamber]

@EmilyMiller

Just out of interest, what would you estimate the probability of all of Paul McCartney's worst performing albums being the ones after he left the Beatles?

 

[Duleigh]

Uhh, that's not respectful. That's spam.

Define SPAM in this aspect, and don't make up a description to fit your own arrogant purposes.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Wannabe gatekeepers

 

[Duleigh]

If I ignore 750 word stories (which we all know get generally terrible ratings and have technical attributes that make them unsweepable), Loving Wives (same issues with rating),

Don't say that! There's people around here who look down on us folks who approach story data with logical intentions!!! Just do what you're told by our superiors and all will be well...

 

[EmilyMiller]

I’d suggest that anyone with the fortitude to read this thread takes a look at what the most obsessively negative posters have done recently to contribute positively to the site. It seems most of their energy is devoted to ripping into others.

Also, while their most vitriolic posts tend to be focused on me, check out how they respond to other people. There is a very obvious pattern here.

Do the same with my history and you’ll see many writing-focused contributions and attempts to help people out. You’ll see me also calling out people on occasion when I disagree with them, but take a look at how frequent that is.

Make up your own minds as to who is the actual problem here.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

@EmilyMiller

Just out of interest, what would you estimate the probability of all of Paul McCartney's worst performing albums being the ones after he left the Beatles?

Conspiracy! Definitely a Conspiracy!

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I’d suggest that anyone with the fortitude to read this thread takes a look at what the most obsessively negative posters have done recently to contribute positively to the site. It seems most of their energy is devoted to ripping into others.

Also, while their most vitriolic posts tend to be focused on me, check out how they respond to other people. There is a very obvious pattern here.

Do the same with my history and you’ll see many writing-focused contributions and attempts to help people out. You’ll see me also calling out people on occasion when I disagree with them, but take a look at how frequent that is.

Make up your own minds as to who is the actual problem here.

You should edit this and add a list of all your alts. That way people can have the full picture before making any judgements.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Don't say that! There's people around here who look down on us folks who approach story data with logical intentions!!! Just do what you're told by our superiors and all will be well...

The idea of being able to dictate to others how they behave is ingrained in some here. As I say, wannabe gatekeepers.

 

[WittyUserName]

A handful of ones wouldn’t. 12 - 20% of the votes on all seven of my latest stories being 1️ isn’t a handful (the percentage is probably greater than even that today, as they are only getting 1️ votes now as they are all old). It’s systematic abuse. More today, with no new views.

Aside from the obvious signature of human intervention I demonstrated, a story getting no new views and only 1️ votes is entirely suspect.

This is the difference it makes:

A Belated Christmas Gift
Will I be ready for an all-anal holiday gang bang?
11/12/2025 in Anal Stories
️ 3.83 / 89 11 23.4k 27

The Story of Nix - Part VI
I had not intended to love her
11/06/2025 in Novels and Novellas Stories
️ 4.23 / 93 7 1 k 59

The Story of Nix - Part V
The Tug Hill Colony
11/05/2025 in Novels and Novellas Stories
️ 4.22 / 96 7 1.1k 42

The Story of Nix - Part IV
Brackencleft
11/04/2025 in Novels and Novellas Stories
️ 4.08 / 100 7 1k 45

The Story of Nix - Part III
Conduit Crest Farm.
11/03/2025 in Novels and Novellas Stories
️ 4.10 / 103 7 1.1k 53

The Story of Nix - Part II
Briarmeadow Hall
11/02/2025 in Novels and Novellas Storied
️ 4.10 / 119 8 1.4k 63

The Story of Nix - Part I
Nether Forest Institute
11/01/2025 in Novels and Novellas Stories
️ 4.23 / 154 16 3.7k 71

It’s instructive to read the comments and to compare them to the ‘ratings.’

Yeah, those stories are rated way lower than they should be based on comments. You get a ton of comments. If you posted in Loving Wives it would make sense, but you don't.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Yeah, those stories are rated way lower than they should be based on comments. You get a ton of comments. If you posted in Loving Wives it would make sense, but you don't.

Did you actually go look at the comments?