[TheEdonian]

Looking at the charts they all seem to take off. To me that begs the question, do they take off because they hit the front-page and get all the attention, or are some of them bought upvotes like on Reddit?

[qingcharles]

I've yet to see anyone selling HN upvotes on the usual dubious forums like BHW. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I don't believe there is any commercial service being advertised.

[Zobat]

Isn't this because upvotes "early" are worth more than upvotes later?

[clacker-o-matic]

Thats my guess; also survivorship bias. Those that make it have to show quick promise early on in order to hit the front page

[bilbo0s]

It's probably all of it.

I mean professional influence campaigns exist. Especially on social media. And HN also has its own required dynamics with respect to reaching the front page.