[725686]

I haven't read the article, but aren't these introduced to detect illegal copies?

[fsflover]

You probably mean this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trap_street

[maptime]

Speaking from experience, it's more often bored cartographers trying to inject some fun into mundane activities.

I used to try and write my initials.

Quite often it devolves into a game of seeing what you can get past the reviewers

[Aachen]

Interesting perspective. As an OSM contributor, I've never had this thought. You presumably spend up to 8 hours a day mapping, all week long (depending on the week perhaps), which I can totally imagine gets old. I only map when I feel like it and not when I'm bored

And on OSM we don't have boss fights in the shape of reviewers. That does sound like a fun challenge :P

[delichon]

I would think that they are too recognizable for that. It would be better to subtly change one insignificant squiggle into another.

[bell-cot]

They're only too recognizable if the someone's paying very close attention.

Vs. if they're not, and Swisstopo can point that out - the internet can enjoy pillizing the perp.