But your rules at least made newbies try hard, and not create many alternative accounts.
Alternative accounts wouldn't help them because they would have to have created them before I started my thread. Because of one of the rules, you couldn't have seen the thread, created a new account, and applied in it. Only if you had the accounts before the topic was even started. In other threads, I see that newbies from the first post go and sign messages, create topics with guides according to forum rules, encrypt messages. In your opinion, are they also newbies?
No, surely not all of them. I am not sure what checks OgNasty performs to check the users who apply in his threads, but I am sure he knows what he is doing. Otherwise the thread would be a great way to cheat your way to some quick and easy merits.And of course, you can give merits out even to newbies participating in the bounty, so that you can be called a generous donor in the future. 
I am not sure if this part of your post is directed to me personally or if it's a general comment. I have nothing against people who participate in bounties if that's not all they are doing. I dislike social media spam campaigns. But I have nothing against honest content creators, translators, art designers, etc. If done properly, that can be great stuff. But try to take part in normal conversations on the forum from time to time as well.You are a merits source, and it would be nice to soften the rules a little to accommodate and carry along as many good members as possible, and besides, Newbies and Jr members only require 1 merit (these are the two easier ranks, getting 1 merit is very easy, and they do not need any merit giveaway thread), I would suggest you focus more on Members ranks, but at the end of the day it is your decision.
That merit thread was started several years before I became a merit source. Back then, I wasn't. I have no intentions of re-bumping it because I am now meriting good posts as I come across them on the forum.