Thanks Mr Oemie
Just a note on this...
"36 new PMFs this month, similar to last month's 38. We see 20 more factions with no systems controlled and 4 added to those controlling one, whereas those owning two has stayed the same. So it seems maybe 12 of the new PMFs are NPC factions marked as PMFs by supporting players. On the far end, the largest PMF now owns 72. That is +1 from last month."
It's pretty much just me updating the database by marking new factions as 'player' and tagging their home system. Although the occasional group does it for themselves.
Sometimes I haven't been in to check for a while and a player faction will already have gained control of their home before I get around to tagging them.
It's pretty rare to find groups tagging an existing faction as 'player'.