# Spam overload



## Sofos (Oct 27, 2012)

In the past 2 days, I've reported at least 5 spam threads, with many more out there most likely in subforums I don't venture into. I had another idea:

New members can't start new threads until one of these 2 conditions is met:

Member for a month
or
Have 20 posts in the forums

I prefer the second one, as it would show an initiative to be a member.


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## technomancer (Oct 27, 2012)

Sounds like a good idea, PM Alex and ask him to implement it


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## Pooluke41 (Oct 27, 2012)

technomancer said:


> Sounds like a good idea, PM Alex and _make_ him to implement it



Fixed, I hate spam so much. 

But they'd probably post in threads then.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Oct 27, 2012)

Either that or more measures for when they register, its pretty crazy how many there are late at night. Maybe another UK/Eur mod would be ideal for this?


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## FireInside (Oct 27, 2012)

I think this is a great idea. The spam is getting quite annoying.


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## flint757 (Oct 27, 2012)

Yeah those threads are rather annoying. I've seen a few people (I assume spam bots) posting on tons of threads with yahoo answer links as well.  Only twice, but it's happened both times over the course of just this month and they are posting based off thread titles in like 10 threads or so a piece. 

That is more irritating as I end up with like 20 thread updates that are basically fake.


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## FireInside (Oct 27, 2012)

I saw one last night that had "not spam" in the title. Tricky fuckers.


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## Randyrhoads123 (Oct 27, 2012)

Couldn't just have a captcha to create a thread?


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## FireInside (Oct 27, 2012)

Fuck that. I hate captcha with a passion.


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## lobee (Oct 27, 2012)

I've noticed this, too, recently. Are we actually getting more spammers, or are people reporting less? It used to be that I would go to report a thread and it would already be nuked by the time I got to it. I also see people responding to some of the tricky spammers that are just relevant enough to the topic. Hint: Check their signature. They often link to obvious spammy sites

Is it time again for a mod to do a PSA on the importance of reporting threads, spam or otherwise?


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## drmosh (Oct 27, 2012)

Randyrhoads123 said:


> Couldn't just have a captcha to create a thread?



NO!


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## lobee (Oct 27, 2012)

SoldiersOfFilth said:


> I had another idea:
> 
> New members can't start new threads until one of these 2 conditions is met:
> 
> ...



I'm not sure I completely agree with these suggestions. The first thing I did when I signed up here was create a thread in the Member Introductions subforum, and I'm not sure I would have continued to post here if it weren't for the warm welcome. Now I consider this place a sort of home for me, and I'd hate for potential new users to become perma-lurkers because the existing members can't report a few spammers now-and-then.


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## Randyrhoads123 (Oct 28, 2012)

Captchas take like two seconds to look at and type. How many threads could you possibly be submitting to where the time it takes to type a captcha would really bother you? If it were for posting every comment, then yeah it'd be annoying, but for a thread? It seems like a simple answer.


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## flint757 (Oct 28, 2012)

I say just make there be a few more steps upon gaining membership (verification, captcha, etc.) and from there nothing else other than people actually reporting spammers.

I try to whenever I can, it isn't all that hard.


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## Fiction (Oct 28, 2012)

Captchas don't stop spam bots, just so you know.


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## flint757 (Oct 28, 2012)

I like what some forums do like make you do basic math in an unorthodox way (something a spam bot couldn't be programmed to do) to gain access to the forum.


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## Swyse (Oct 29, 2012)

Could it be made to require your first post/thread to be in the introductions? That might help the forums people read for reasons other than to up their post count have less spam. Only other suggestion I have is to make me a moderator, so I can update the public ban list and delete spam threads.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Nov 14, 2012)

BUMP!


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## DDDorian (Nov 14, 2012)

There's a big dead spot in the middle of the night when all the US mods are asleep, so that's when you generally see the most spam. I grab the spam when I can but I generally don't notice it until my email gets pinged, and the notification mails don't always show up immediately (or at all) so I occasionally miss a few. I'll make an effort to pay more attention to the board directly

That captcha thing sure would be nice, too.


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## drmosh (Nov 14, 2012)

So we need an extra EU or AU mod?


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## Stealthdjentstic (Nov 14, 2012)

Capcha is so annoying though. More mods would be cool, plus as it atands the userbase has grown exponentially in the last little while..


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## Fiction (Nov 14, 2012)

I'm Australian and totally trust worthy with power.


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## DDDorian (Nov 14, 2012)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> Capcha is so annoying though. More mods would be cool, plus as it atands the userbase has grown exponentially in the last little while..



I just meant adding a captcha to the account registration process. Maybe Alex added one and I didn't notice, but there definitely wasn't one before he took over and for a long while after.


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## Swyse (Nov 15, 2012)

Fiction said:


> I'm Australian and totally trust worthy with power.



QFT


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## petereanima (Nov 15, 2012)

<-
Everyone knows that it is totally safe to give us Austrians power over people. 



On a serious note: The "thread starting only when you have xxx" would decrease some of it of course, but there were also a lot of spambots just bumping year-old threads (and those are even harder to catch-on-sight then the common "NEW ROLEX DOWNLOAD THE DARK KNIGHT RISES" threads popping up), so imho Capcha on registering plus EU-mod in addition would be the best solution.


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## Swyse (Nov 15, 2012)

^ Is it the austrians or australians that throw shrimps on barbies? I find the inherent snarkiness of the shrimp barbecuers quite fitting for a moderation role.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Nov 15, 2012)

My avatar speaks


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## Edika (Nov 15, 2012)

A EU and/or Australian mod would be an answer, even though lately I haven't noticed so many spam threads. Either they kinda gave up or the mods have been extra vigilant!


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## drmosh (Nov 16, 2012)

bunch of spam on the forums again this morning and no mods awake to deal with it!


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## Fiction (Nov 16, 2012)

What's that doctor? You've had a bad case of spam?

Well I've got just what you need! If I am elected as the new moderator I promise to eliminate spam in the next 3-6 months, and am currently working on a sevenstring.org swimming pool available to all users!

Remember, say no to spam, and yes to Fiction!

Hoo-Haa!


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## drmosh (Nov 16, 2012)

I say anyone begging to be a mod will not be a good mod


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## Konfyouzd (Nov 16, 2012)

SoldiersOfFilth said:


> In the past 2 days, I've reported at least 5 spam threads, with many more out there most likely in subforums I don't venture into. I had another idea:
> 
> New members can't start new threads until one of these 2 conditions is met:
> 
> ...



Similar to the classifieds... I like it.

I've been on other forums where you're not allowed to post until you've been a member for a week and others where you had to be reviewed by a group of current members before you were allowed to start threads.

This sounds reasonable to me.


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## Konfyouzd (Nov 16, 2012)

Fiction said:


> What's that doctor? You've had a bad case of spam?
> 
> Well I've got just what you need! If I am elected as the new moderator I promise to eliminate spam in the next 3-6 months, and am currently working on a sevenstring.org swimming pool available to all users!
> 
> ...


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## Fiction (Nov 16, 2012)

drmosh said:


> I say anyone begging to be a mod will not be a good mod



I agree


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