u/BigYahu710

Lately I’ve been noticing a pattern on this sub that I think people, especially newcomers, should be aware of.

There are quite a few bad faith actors and even bots brigading this subreddit. They often present themselves as people giving “real,” “unsugarcoated,” or “harsh truth” advice about studying or settling abroad. At first glance, it can seem like they’re just being brutally honest.

But if you take a closer look at their profiles, a lot of them have a clear agenda. Their post history is often full of anti-immigration rhetoric, doomposting, or participation in subs that are openly hostile toward immigrants. They’re not here to help, they’re here to discourage, mislead, or push a narrative.

On top of that, there’s another layer that’s a bit more subtle. Some Indians already living abroad operate with a scarcity mindset and try to dissuade others from coming, framing it as “advice” while really trying to limit competition. At the same time, there are also people in India who try to gatekeep or exaggerate negatives to reduce competition among applicants.

What's sad is that I used a tool to run a text analysis on the comment section and it found that 100+ accounts have been involved in agenda driven posting. Most of the "top 1% commenters" you see are involved in this. They insert themselves into every conversation with the motive to discourage and change the topic. The common tactics used are overgeneralization of cherry picked cases ("I know a person who couldn't get anything bro, it is gonna be the same for everyone" without stating the skills of said person), hyperbolizing, accusing you of being a consultant (which are already banned here), feamongering, "I'm just telling the truth bro," and so on.

Wherever you see such bad faith commenters or posters, make sure to expose them and leave a comment so everyone else knows.

That doesn’t mean every negative opinion is fake or invalid. Studying abroad has real challenges, and honest discussions are important. But there’s a difference between genuine advice based on experience and coordinated negativity or self-interested discouragement.

So just a reminder:

• Check post histories when something feels off
• Be cautious of overly absolute or fear-driven takes
• Don’t take every “hard truth” at face value
• Seek multiple perspectives before making decisions

This sub should be a place for informed discussion, not manipulation. Stay aware and don’t let bad actors shape your decisions.

Would be great if mods could also keep an eye on this.

my_qualifications: I live in Germany