Yes, I think you are right. By which I mean, I have no clue how automation / detection works in reality, but it sounds like you know what you're talking about.

Sounds like you could be capable of making some sort of interesting discussion / post highlighter bot? 🤔 

I would like to see primal replace their sidebar with something like this. 

 I'm more logistician than bot programmer. 

 I don't think they understand the math enough to do that. They've tried to mimic the effect with time-frames (1-hour, 2-hour, etc.), but that often is just a reflection of active time zones, rather than interesting discussion. Europeans tend to trend until Americans wake up and drown us out. 

 Tbh I would prefer any sort of customisable sidebar on primal. Even replacing it with the #asknostr hashtag, at least that is/was (mostly) used but people who have something to bring up / want answered.