What is this all about [AUTO]username

[Crunchymum]

Is anyone able to advise? Re the username?

I was wondering that too.

Yes, it's rather strange.

Apologies if it's an actual poster. I don't mean you're personally strange, just the [Auto] bit in your NN and the fact it doesn't show up any history in AS

This is what happens when you put the name through AS

It's all very odd.

You can't @ the [AUTO]username either.

If you put the name in quotemarks you can search it as normal.

So instead of AS on [AUTO]sfg6ikecyztna you would AS on "[AUTO]sfg6ikecyztna"

Came here as was on thread where you noticed.

Interested too.

And well spotted

Any comment @MNHQ?

@WorraLiberty

Any comment *@MNHQ*?

I'll take the radio silence as a big fat no Worra??

Looks like someone has let themselves in through the back door if you ask me.

I'll take the radio silence as a big fat no Worra??

Did you report the thread? MNHQ has previously asked posters to report threads in site stuff to get quicker attention. With less mods on the rota its probably the quickest way to get it picked up.

The username shows up in AS with a number of other threads. It does look malformed but not impossible.

I reported it and got a reply saying it all checked out.

Interested

How odd.

Surely this must be an MN bot?

I reported it and got a reply saying it all checked out

The username or this thread? I'm idly curious as to when the system was allowing names with square brackets because currently it doesn't seem possible (that said, I've not tried every method).

@anon5000

I reported it and got a reply saying it all checked out.

Really? It's odd that MNHQ should reply to a report but not to the OP's thread.

Bad form. What's the point in starting threads in Site Stuff at all then?

I've reported again @Crunchymum and asked them if they wouldn't mind commenting on this thread.

Any update @MNHQ?

I tried to make a username there with square brackets and wasn't allowed to. Very strange.

Hi all, and thanks for raising this. We suspect that allowing the [Auto]username was a one off from a while ago from when we were doing some work on the registration page - a few got through then. We're investigating the issue and we'll provide a definitive answer when we've looked into it thoroughly.
Thanks for bearing with us.

@C8H10N4O2

I reported it and got a reply saying it all checked out

The username or this thread? I'm idly curious as to when the system was allowing names with square brackets because currently it doesn't seem possible (that said, I've not tried every method).

I reported the username.

We suspect that allowing the [Auto]username was a one off from a while ago from when we were doing some work on the registration page - a few got through then

Oops - test users created with a pattern accidentally enabled in username generation? And then not mopped up because actual users has posted with that pattern?