 Authenticated posters were numerous DataLounge's early years; over time, however, site culture came to discourage authenticated posting as attention-seeking and self-aggrandizing.As a result, most "authenticateds" stopped posting under their usernames due to personal attacks from anonymous posters.Authentication as originally implemented was discontinued around 2004–05, but in May 2019 DataLounge adopted mandatory email-based registration in an additional effort to combat trolling (users will continue to be able to post anonymously).