I am a futures trader, not affiliated to any brokerage.
After many years of trading and general observation I can say that it always appears to me that brokers go after the stops just to stop me out. But the reality does not seem to be.
I have read many books on trading. They all pretty much suggest one of the trading techniques (for any trader) as looking at the popular stop levels and trade those. The volume of orders and fills at any calculated stop level is always much higher than the rest of the levels. It is because all traders are using those levels. Therefore when a level is triggered, lots of stop orders suddenly become market orders. Since the other side supply is still limited, bunch of those market orders quickly move the price and the price spikes through the stop and then once the volume dies down the the prices corrects back. To a novice it seems that his broker is just sitting there to chop him.
In my trading (live trading not automated) I stopped using actual stops (use only mental stops). I have a limit order constructed and ready to go and as soon as my mental stop is hit (which you can monitor by setting alerts) I activate my limit order.
In fact I take advantage of the popular stops. Say I have a working limit sell order at 10 points above the popular stop level. The stop level shows a pending volume of 100 contracts and very light volume above and below that level. When the stop is triggered the price quicly shoots through it, fills my order and goes back down.
Those who are complaining, are you using stops that are active 24 hours? Don't. During the after hours, the price volume being extremely low, stops are triggered very easily. Most broker platforms have the option of "stop avtive during regular hours only" or something equivalent. If you broker does not have it, change your broker.
Construction of stops incorrectly has lot to do with stops too. Very tight stops get triggered quickly.
Use "stop limit" stops Vs. "stop market". That way you will not get fills way off your stop price (slippage).