This is a pattern for new sites&#x2F;services that suddenly get press and then get noticed in random aggregators (like HN).<p>Since the site is new, it doesn&#x27;t get <i>that</i> much attention from the aggregator&#x27;s core audience, and any negative comments are swiftly downvoted after 10-20 employees register and downvote them via central command. This has happened to me on HN before; I guess because I take a perverse kind of enjoyment out of sabotaging astroturfing attempts.<p>All of this makes perfect business sense; I would probably do it too if I were in this kind of position.<p>It also makes sense for HN to build better defenses against attacks like this.