Too much SPAM

[Daelon DuLac]

I've been on forums where it was 50 posts before you could post a new thread. That's probably a bit extreme, but something similar would probably work.

And what's with people "leaving"? Drunken made a remark that he was "done" and now Daelon threatens to "leave". Is there something happening somewhere on the forums that I'm not privy to and people are getting upset and deleting their bookmarks? I realize I lurk more than I post, but surely there's no reason for everyone to start jumping ship.

Not in my case. There's just so much SPAM in the last month or so that I'm getting tired of wading through it so I might need a break. In Drunken's case, I can see why he'd want a break. Take a look at his debate record. Sure he backed everything up with Lore and logic, but it got pretty heated. I bet he's just tired. I would be.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

I have a much better Idea I brought up months ago how about have it so you can only make a new thread if you have at least 10 Likes

So only likeable people can make new threads? You're ruling out the majority of society

HA!

 

[Hildolfr]

Not in my case. There's just so much SPAM in the last month or so that I'm getting tired of wading through it so I might need a break. In Drunken's case, I can see why he'd want a break. Take a look at his debate record. Sure he backed everything up with Lore and logic, but it got pretty heated. I bet he's just tired. I would be.

Ah, I see. What thread did it get so heated in?

And you're not allowed to take a break. I HAVE SPOKEN!!!

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Not in my case. There's just so much SPAM in the last month or so that I'm getting tired of wading through it so I might need a break. In Drunken's case, I can see why he'd want a break. Take a look at his debate record. Sure he backed everything up with Lore and logic, but it got pretty heated. I bet he's just tired. I would be.

Ah, I see. What thread did it get so heated in?

And you're not allowed to take a break. I HAVE SPOKEN!!!

This is just one of them http://skyrimforum.com/sf/threads/imperials-or-stormcloaks-what-one.6373/, but Drunken was AWESOME at the debate and he was involved in so many of them.

No break... OYE, I need to get some coffee then!

 

[Daelon DuLac]

It's getting worse. Of the ones on my main page. Monday it was 3/20 (SPAM to total); yesterday was 5/20; and today is 7/20. At this rate it will be 20/20 by Wednesday of next week and then I'll have no reason to come to the forums at all unless I want to lose weight, lessen my wrinkles or take some herb that I've never heard of before that will miraculously cure me of something that I never knew was a problem. Sheesh!

 

[adrian-smith31]

Here are the settings I use:-

The user is presented with one of three random questions to answer that are based on the forum's subject - ones that if you play that game you will know the answer. One question is a random code they have to enter specific characters from.

Users have three login attempts before they are locked out for 10 mins.

3 attempts at solving the Q&A before a lockout

2 mins delay before you are allowed to post another reply or topic after posting

html links in signatures are disabled

unique emails required (one per username) same address can't be used for another user

email verification (this is pretty much standard on every forum)

Users have to have 3 topics & replies before they can email or PM someone.

I get a flood of spam every now and then usually multiple users from the same IP, I change the questions and ban the IP. Almost a spam free forum.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Here are the settings I use:-

The user is presented with one of three random questions to answer that are based on the forum's subject - ones that if you play that game you will know the answer. One question is a random code they have to enter specific characters from.

Users have three login attempts before they are locked out for 10 mins.

3 attempts at solving the Q&A before a lockout

2 mins delay before you are allowed to post another reply or topic after posting

html links in signatures are disabled

unique emails required (one per username) same address can't be used for another user

email verification (this is pretty much standard on every forum)

Users have to have 3 topics & replies before they can email or PM someone.

I get a flood of spam every now and then usually multiple users from the same IP, I change the questions and ban the IP. Almost a spam free forum.

I absolutely agree with everything except the 2 mins delay on posting replies. Topic I can agree with, but it would be extremely hard to hold a conversation in our forums if we had to wait 2 mins between answering things. There is already anywhere from a 10 to 20 second wait.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Here are the settings I use:-

The user is presented with one of three random questions to answer that are based on the forum's subject - ones that if you play that game you will know the answer. One question is a random code they have to enter specific characters from.

Users have three login attempts before they are locked out for 10 mins.

3 attempts at solving the Q&A before a lockout

2 mins delay before you are allowed to post another reply or topic after posting

html links in signatures are disabled

unique emails required (one per username) same address can't be used for another user

email verification (this is pretty much standard on every forum)

Users have to have 3 topics & replies before they can email or PM someone.

I get a flood of spam every now and then usually multiple users from the same IP, I change the questions and ban the IP. Almost a spam free forum.

I absolutely agree with everything except the 2 mins delay on posting replies. Topic I can agree with, but it would be extremely hard to hold a conversation in our forums if we had to wait 2 mins between answering things. There is already anywhere from a 10 to 20 second wait.

On another note. Re the banning html in the signatures, I agree, with the exception of it actually referring back to another section of this same forum or in reference to a specific thread. We would want to be careful just how stringent it gets as well as many of us like to larf if up and post links to you-tube videos, informative links to references and pictures.

Just my thoughts.

It really is rather moot though as it is the moderators that need to make any decisions on this.

 

[Toxius]

Maybe something that prevents No post accounts from making threads? They are only created to provide those spamming threads anyways.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Maybe something that prevents No post accounts from making threads? They are only created to provide those spamming threads anyways.

In other words, you need to actually post something on another thread before you are allowed to create a thread. That's actually not a bad idea. Do I have it right?

 

[Toxius]

Maybe something that prevents No post accounts from making threads? They are only created to provide those spamming threads anyways.

In other words, you need to actually post something on another thread before you are allowed to create a thread. That's actually not a bad idea. Do I have it right?

Yes quite right.

 

[ColleenG]

So I went into a spam and figured out how to report it. Maybe if multiple users reported, it would help. BUT, I can't just open and report each one. I get told I MUST WAIT before performing that action! So the forum design is not conducive to getting rid of spam.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

So I went into a spam and figured out how to report it. Maybe if multiple users reported, it would help. BUT, I can't just open and report each one. I get told I MUST WAIT before performing that action! So the forum design is not conducive to getting rid of spam.

Agree. I reported all 5 yesterday but after 3 today I gave up. Let somebody else report the other 4.

 

[adrian-smith31]

I set the 2 min wait to stop spambots from submitting multiple topics straight after another. I have now changed it to 30 seconds.

Yes you are correct it does make conversations harder, my forum gets much less traffic so it isn't really an issue. Maybe setting it to 15 seconds may help here?

 

[JoeReese]

 

[Daelon DuLac]

w/pineapple on a pizza or fried up on whole-made bread with lotsa ketchup and provalone! Mmmm.... SPAM! WAIT! What am I saying I hate SPAM but luv SPAM! I'm so confused.

 

[Annageckos]

I have seen some forums have it so you couldn't post links until you have ten post, same with photos. I would think something like that would help, if they can't post their links there is no point to post.

 

[JoeReese]

That kind of stuff makes sense, although it may discourage people who find the forum by searching for help with a bug or glitch online. I originally found it that way.

 

[Lucid]

w/pineapple on a pizza or fried up on whole-made bread with lotsa ketchup and provalone! Mmmm.... SPAM! WAIT! What am I saying I hate SPAM but luv SPAM! I'm so confused.

I thought you were an herbivore

That kind of stuff makes sense, although it may discourage people who find the forum by searching for help with a bug or glitch online. I originally found it that way.

I understand your concern, I suspect that many of us found this forum by searching for info. I know the mods (and advertisers) wouldn't want to implement restrictions that would prevent us from posting the kind of content that brings traffic to the site. I think that most of the suggestions have been really reasonable however, and wouldn't do much to impact legitimate members and posts.

I think that only allowing members to create new threads in the Introductions sub-forum, and implementing a minimum post count to create threads elsewhere, and a minimum post count to be able to embed links in your posts, would go a long way towards fixing the spam threads here.

Requiring moderator approval of posted or linked images for members below that post count threshold may help the other spam-post issue.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

w/pineapple on a pizza or fried up on whole-made bread with lotsa ketchup and provalone! Mmmm.... SPAM! WAIT! What am I saying I hate SPAM but luv SPAM! I'm so confused.

I thought you were an herbivore

That kind of stuff makes sense, although it may discourage people who find the forum by searching for help with a bug or glitch online. I originally found it that way.

I understand your concern, I suspect that many of us found this forum by searching for info. I know the mods (and advertisers) wouldn't want to implement restrictions that would prevent us from posting the kind of content that brings traffic to the site. I think that most of the suggestions have been really reasonable however, and wouldn't do much to impact legitimate members and posts.

I think that only allowing members to create new threads in the Introductions sub-forum, and implementing a minimum post count to create threads elsewhere, and a minimum post count to be able to embed links in your posts, would go a long way towards fixing the spam threads here.

Requiring moderator approval of posted or linked images for members below that post count threshold may help the other spam-post issue.[/quote]Wait... SPAM is meat? Really? Damn! My Mom tricked me!