It's against HN's rules to post this without evidence, because internet users are so quick to interpret comments this way based on nothing other than someone else having a differing view (which does not count as evidence). The flip side, of course, is that if you think you're seeing this sort of abuse, you should let us know so we can investigate it. We do occasionally find evidence—and when we do we crack down hard.
"Please don't post insinuations about astroturfing, shilling, bots, brigading, foreign agents and the like. It degrades discussion and is usually mistaken. If you're worried about abuse, email hn@ycombinator.com and we'll look at the data."
