Why does giving rep have many security restrictions?

[Columbia]

In all honesty, I'm a bit irritated as to why you're not allowed to give rep in certain times such as if you've already given rep for that post, or have given too much in the last 24 hours, or have to spread it around. I understand that not being able to give rep for the same post twice is logically there for security reasons, but I found some others to be a bit.. irritating. Especially having to wait 24 hours to rep more--What are these for? I find this a bit too.. restrictive. Being an avid rep-spreader, I don't know why this is there.

Thanks!

[Dodgey]

I'm assuming that it is to prevent spamming.

[Starwhip]

I'm assuming that it is to prevent spamming.

Yes. If rep were unlimited, one could go up and down a page of posts boosting other people's rep through the roof.

[Thomas988]

Yes. If rep were unlimited, one could go up and down a page of posts boosting other people's rep through the roof.

Plus, you could make an alternate account and give yourself infinite rep.

[Red Iron Crown]

As alluded to above, it's to prevent abuse of the rep system through rep exchanging. It's not 100% effective but prevents the worst of it. I've used forums where there are no limits, inevitably a rep exchange thread arises where a few posters just trade it back and forth, inflating their rep scores without generating any meaningful discussion.