That depends on what defines "real". For instance, bots can be defined as not real, but you could have legit traders using bots to trade for profit might be the exception.
Either way with the lawsuit which as recently filed, all that will come to light in the discovery process of the litigation.
I think the thing one has to remember is you are trading a minimally regulated token in an unregulated marketplace. As such, don't be astonished with tape painting and manipulation. Either find a trading strategy that works or vote with your feet and your coin. I'm not condoning the manipulation. Rather, I am suggesting one should move to a marketplace which provides satisfactory solutions to the individual trading in an unregulated environment and works best for you. The only way a business learns is from pain to the pocketbook.
I mean people make trades against themselves using bots and creating false volume. It is known to happen a lot on exchanges with 0% transaction fees.
Poloniex does not have 0% transaction fees. Each buy and sell does cost between 0.15% to 0.25%, so I'm not sure how much is bogus volume.
Now painting the tape with bogus buy and sell walls would be another conversation. Unless the order executes, no fee is paid. That is common practice on every crypto exchange I've been on and I doubt you'd find one without it.
I know they don't. It doesn't mean that the same sort of thing doesn't happen. If you can make up the losses on fees by manipulating the price then it might be worth it.