Youtubers, Reddit tipsters and Bloggers posted a lot of content regarding Forge AFK-ing, so its popularity was always there, across multiple seasons. Bungie would usually implement a fix after a week or two. I remember some folks from my former clan would jump on any opportunity to circumvent the grind. As someone who was going for Blacksmith related triumphs at the time, Forge AFK-ing was a big headache, especially on the more difficult maps. Two to three of them were easy enough to solo, but you were racing against the clock.