Why so much spam?

[kaovalin]

I have been away from the forums for about 6 months now. Now that I'm back I've noticed a lot more spam. Is there anything being done to reduce/stop this?

Maybe a captcha requirement for posts and new threads from forum users with the status of new user? Would that be possible even?

 

[ratchet freak]

the mods are asleep, and any captcha will be broken

 

[Wekmor]

I don't think the mods care as much as they did like half a year ago...

 

[b0bst3r]

http://forum.feed-the-beast.com/threads/whats-with-all-the-spam.52109/

 

[DZCreeper]

Eh, I messaged Jaded about the spam and two methods to stop it but I am not hopeful for a reply. The problem is that with the state of machine based learning and command line image manipulation, captcha is just too easy to break. I even went so far as to volunteer my time to filter posts from new users, but once again I am not hopeful.

 

[Yusunoha]

I'd personally prefer to make new users unable to create topics until they have made atleast 10 posts
or have it so that topics created by new users first need to be reviewed by a moderator before it's actually posted onto the forums.

 

[DZCreeper]

I'd personally prefer to make new users unable to create topics until they have made atleast 10 posts
or have it so that topics created by new users first need to be reviewed by a moderator before it's actually posted onto the forums.

volunteer my time to filter posts from new users

That was what I am talking about about. Hopefully its not too hard to switch to this system instead of captcha's.

 

[kaovalin]

http://forum.feed-the-beast.com/threads/whats-with-all-the-spam.52109/

Weird, I did search for a thread first. I did find it strange that I didnt find anything. I probably just did it wrong.

I wasnt aware that captcha was so broken already.

 

[Crhymez]

Or have a Verification system, make the user verify their Email before they can post on the forums.

 

[Hambeau]

I'd personally prefer to make new users unable to create topics until they have made atleast 10 posts
or have it so that topics created by new users first need to be reviewed by a moderator before it's actually posted onto the forums.

Perhaps any reported threads could be hidden from general view when reported until reviewed by a mod? I don't know if this is possible but it would keep the threads a somewhat more pleasant reading experience.

 

[DZCreeper]

Perhaps any reported threads could be hidden from general view when reported until reviewed by a mod? I don't know if this is possible but it would keep the threads a somewhat more pleasant reading experience.

That would be a nightmare. What would stop someone like me with minimal scripting knowledge or even just an itchy mouse finger from reporting every thread currently in existence? That solves one problem and opens a whole new can of worms.

 

[Hambeau]

That would be a nightmare. What would stop someone like me with minimal scripting knowledge or even just an itchy mouse finger from reporting every thread currently in existence? That solves one problem and opens a whole new can of worms.

Another forum I'm a member of has a system where they track who reports posts and the ratio of valid/invalid reports they make... When the balance swings to the "invalid" side the reporter gets a timed vacation from the ability to report posts.

 

[DZCreeper]

Another forum I'm a member of has a system where they track who reports posts and the ratio of valid/invalid reports they make... When the balance swings to the "invalid" side the reporter gets a timed vacation from the ability to report posts.

Still doesn't solve the issue of the fact that obviously the mods don't have time to review the reports, otherwise we wouldn't have this spam in the first place.

 

[ratchet freak]

Another forum I'm a member of has a system where they track who reports posts and the ratio of valid/invalid reports they make... When the balance swings to the "invalid" side the reporter gets a timed vacation from the ability to report posts.

already happens I'm currently on a (for as far as I know) permanent reporting vacation for report too large signatures (only 150 px high people rule number 4)

 

[HeilMewTwo]

I'd personally prefer to make new users unable to create topics until they have made atleast 10 posts
or have it so that topics created by new users first need to be reviewed by a moderator before it's actually posted onto the forums.

I'm not sure that would work as I have seen POSTS made in ACTUAL threads by these bots.

 

[Someone Else 37]

I'm not sure that would work as I have seen POSTS made in ACTUAL threads by these bots.

Perhaps, but most of the spam posts are their own threads.

I remember one forum that, instead of a typical obfuscated-text captcha, showed ten pictures, with the question "Which of these are pictures of cats, and not dogs?"

Alternatively, this.

 

[RedBoss]

http://forum.feed-the-beast.com/index.php?posts/780558

This explains why very succinctly.

 

[Iluvalar]

I'd personally prefer to make new users unable to create topics until they have made atleast 10 posts
or have it so that topics created by new users first need to be reviewed by a moderator before it's actually posted onto the forums.

The best solution imho would be to give everyone over 100 posts the vision of a new "trash" forum group. And the ability to move topics in and out from it. Everyone could then just press the button to delete the posts

 

[malicious_bloke]

The best solution imho would be to give everyone over 100 posts the vision of a new "trash" forum group. And the ability to move topics in and out from it. Everyone could then just press the button to delete the posts

Too abusable.

There WILL be drama.

My idea would be to make it that if a thread is reported as spam by certain number of members, it gets hidden until a mod reviews it.

Mods are going to hit the kill button on them when they log in anyway, this just keeps them out of the way until that time.

 

[Iluvalar]

Too abusable.

There WILL be drama.

They were saying the same stuff about wikipedia. Turns out the majority of people are not there to troll. And it would be simpler for moderator to remove those rights (and eventualy ban) people who abuse of that, then to manualy trash can every single post themself.