If they are trying to seem as immature and incompetent as possible, this is definitely a great way.

>smear campaigners

Wow, multilevel irony!

CB Insights actions, arguably, constitute a large scale smear campaign that is not adequate to the original transgression of the startup.

Your comment, arguably, constitutes a low scale smear campaign as you have no proof that startup founders have posted those comments. Any other CB Insights competitor/enemy could use that opportunity.

So much drama out of a non-issue.

>CB Insights actions, arguably, constitute a large scale smear campaign that is not adequate to the original transgression of the startup.

"Blame the victim" much?

They just reported it on the web AFAIK. What else would be "adequate to the original transgression of the startup"?

>Your comment, arguably, constitutes a low scale smear campaign as you have no proof that startup founders have posted those comments.

Sure, no hard proof. I only have a guess, based on decades of living in a human society, that accounts that were created days before, and that say the same things, and in favor of the transgressor, are somehow related to them...

Is there any competing theory? Random internet people that decided to sign up to HN just to vent against a company?

Yeah, a competing theory that I've included in my original comment. Anyone with a grudge against CB Insights could have registered those accounts.

>Random internet people that decided to sign up to HN just to vent against a company?

Obviously, trolls exist. Copyright/plagiarism/"inspiration" discussions are a feeding grounds for those kind of people.

That's two competing theories. And yeah, it's ironic to state with confidence that someone is "actively running a smear campaign" with no plausible data confirming the statement.