This spamposts just getting out of hand. Mods remove them pretty fast, true, and yet I'm still tired of seeing this junk everywhere, which speaks of the magnitude of the problem. Does the engine allow that? At least for topics, if not comments.
I could've sworn there already was one. Anyways, spammers are not opposed to waiting a week after registering an account, I don't think it'll help much. These guys are really determined.I suggested we add a cooldown timer for new members to make threads. Most spambots are quick in and quick out, they don’t hangout for delays.
My solution would be to restrict thread creation until certain criteria is met, like a post count of 10 or 20, and maybe some form of further verification by forcing them to post an introduction before they can move on to the rest of the forums? I dunno, just some ideas, but I think restricting new threads would be a good first start.Agreed. So what's your solution to the problem?
That's what I thought, initially. It's defo been quieter on the spam front since this thread went up so perhaps something along these lines, or other, has been done by the mods? Sure hope so.My solution would be to restrict thread creation until certain criteria is met, like a post count of 10 or 20, and maybe some form of further verification by forcing them to post an introduction before they can move on to the rest of the forums? I dunno, just some ideas, but I think restricting new threads would be a good first start.
It stops them for a minute. Until they replaced "Call Girls" with some other Unicode characters looking almost the same (a bit weird).Sure, there are always ways around badword filters, but at least slowing them down would reduce the amount of spam.
Completely stopping newbies from creating threads (where they ask for help) is pretty much the death blow for a help forum.My solution would be to restrict thread creation until certain criteria is met, like a post count of 10 or 20, and maybe some form of further verification by forcing them to post an introduction before they can move on to the rest of the forums? I dunno, just some ideas, but I think restricting new threads would be a good first start.
My thought was to not only include a post count (10-20) but also not have a load of complaints to the community staff members also. Sure, someone can have a post count and an intro post, but then a bot can take over and just do what they're taught how to do. My solution is to allow them to post in threads (not create threads) up to 10-20 times, but also keep track of the times they've had people talk to forum staff members (moderators) about how bad/mean/offensive their posts are. From there, staff moderators can make the decision. Park them or let them drive. All depends on how they treat being here.My solution would be to restrict thread creation until certain criteria is met, like a post count of 10 or 20, and maybe some form of further verification by forcing them to post an introduction before they can move on to the rest of the forums?
Fair. Maybe restrict them to there then, since we're trying to at least contain the spam as much as possible.Completely stopping newbies from creating threads (where they ask for help) is pretty much the death blow for a help forum.
Reminds of the Chinese version of Xiaomi HyperOS, which allows bootloader unlock only for those people fulfilling almost impossible criteria.
Fair. Maybe restrict them to there then, since we're trying to at least contain the spam as much as possible.
This means the technical/automatic possibilities are exhausted and the situation can't be improved?Not on the dev team but my 2c as modstaff. Long story short, there are already measures in place to filter out spam. Have been for a while. As far as I am aware, they are continuously being tweaked, and even then there is a substantial number of false positives and negatives (as evident in those that slip past).
Yes. They are. REALLY.These guys are really determined.
That has also occurred frequently here. If an older account without two-factor authentication has the same password as a previous data leak, accounts can be compromised that way. I remember when some new and regular members, not bots, began posting links to Telegram crypto groups on quite a few threads about a year ago.Protect your account. Use a strong password and consider enabling 2FA.
Spammers seem to be trying to capture existing accounts.
Mods also have to sleep sometimes. I've noticed that the spammers seem to have figured out the best time of day to not have their posts immediately removed. Reporting doesn't help if nobody's awake to check the reports.Well, considering how many GBATempers are around at any given time during the day, reporting would solve the issue at some extent, if just all Tempers would just report it at fisrt sight. Sadly that's not the case, I've seen many users posting on those SPAM threads, including nonsense to offenses to some level.
I'd say we, as GBATemp users should help moderation by reporting and moving ahead asap we see those kind ot SPAM. Moderators would do what they consider necessary.
One thing to add, is that on those threads a report counter should be added, so Tempers know if that thread has been reported already or not, and such thread should be closed for new comments after it has been reported automatically. Admin can add some sort of "trustability" to some level users (up to some level) so those threads reports are legit and not coming from some angry dastard trying to cause a mess on some thread.
We, as users should help keeping this site as useable and clean as possible.
Even though I've played cat and mouse with the forum activity logs to report spam bots and bad behavior, moderators never take action when they're either asleep or busy.Mods also have to sleep sometimes. I've noticed that the spammers seem to have figured out the best time of day to not have their posts immediately removed. Reporting doesn't help if nobody's awake to check the reports.
Adding to that report counter idea, new users' ability to post could be limited temporarily if they are reported X number of times, reducing the amount of spam without requiring a mod to be around. Once a mod checked the reports in the morning, they could either unflag the account or ban it.
I honestly think a cool down between threads would be potentially helpful. New users shouldn’t be allowed to make multiple threads immediately after joining. I feel like that should be a privilege gained after a set amount of posts are made.Not on the dev team but my 2c as modstaff. Long story short, there are already measures in place to filter out spam. Have been for a while. As far as I am aware, they are continuously being tweaked, and even then there is a substantial number of false positives and negatives (as evident in those that slip past).
People were already complaining about the inability to post links as a newbie. Posting restrictions or manual account approvals will just make for a worse experience overall.
We do appreciate the feedback but at this point in time, we have nothing much to add to the conversation that hasn't already been addressed.
I really don’t know if I want to know what the staff has said about me, ngl. I’ve been a pretty shitty person to them on multiple occasionsI say let @SylverReZ and @The Catboy be our "Spam Dream Team". Give them spam deleting privileges.