Thanks 🙇

Here’s the answer for the lazy ones:

  # disincentivize content marketers by not appearing to be a source of
  # significant traffic, but do show referrer a few times so authors can find
  # their way back
  def send_referrer?
    self.created_at <= 1.hour and
      self.merged_story_id.nil?
  end

I’m not sure about the “more ethical aggregator”, but I appreciate the idea. :)

I’m somewhat a fan of Grandpa Zawinski’s approach myself.