Can we keep new users from creating threads?

Dallas star · February 29th, 2012, 04:57 AM

I've been seeing a lot of spam bots lately, why do we give people who just created an account permission to post in the most popular sub-forums?

Wouldn't it be much better to set up a post limit they have to reach before they can post threads? So if they are spammers, we can report their posts before they will ever even be allowed to post threads.

Los Earth · February 29th, 2012, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dallas star

I've been seeing a lot of spam bots lately, why do we give people who just created an account permission to post in the most popular sub-forums?

Wouldn't it be much better to set up a post limit they have to reach before they can post threads? So if they are spammers, we can report their posts before they will ever even be allowed to post threads.

Oh I like this idea

We can now not have the BAR BELL RESULTS thread and other ones like it.
But if these are "humans" they will clearly figure out that they can post like us and blend in and snatch the moment right when they can make threads and start trolling (sorry if this is a bit confusing)

Suburbanist · February 29th, 2012, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dallas star

I've been seeing a lot of spam bots lately, why do we give people who just created an account permission to post in the most popular sub-forums?

Wouldn't it be much better to set up a post limit they have to reach before they can post threads? So if they are spammers, we can report their posts before they will ever even be allowed to post threads.

Bots are quite sophisticated these days and can just post random answers for days in various threads, then spam-bomb the forum.

***AltinD*** · February 29th, 2012, 03:48 PM

And they DO that.

***Jonesy55*** · February 29th, 2012, 06:23 PM

It's unlikely a spambot would make it to say, 25 posts, if that were the threshold for creating threads. They usually get spotted and banned before then......

Suburbanist · February 29th, 2012, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonesy55

It's unlikely a spambot would make it to say, 25 posts, if that were the threshold for creating threads. They usually get spotted and banned before then......

Do you think so?

Many spambots affecting the Infrastructure thread, when you click at them before a mod bans them, have like 10-15 posts in various threads.

They post "general phrases" like "i am new here, hope to get more information about this issue on this forum" that stick out as rookies and then, one day, they post "cheap medicine - ship worldwide" in every thread :p

***Jonesy55*** · February 29th, 2012, 06:51 PM

10-15 < 25

I'm not saying it is impossible that they could ever reach 25 but i think 90%+ would be eradicated before that...

koolio · March 1st, 2012, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonesy55

10-15 < 25

I'm not saying it is impossible that they could ever reach 25 but i think 90%+ would be eradicated before that...

I agree. I think a 25-50 post threshold should be looked into. If any account is posting generic comments, a ~50 post threshold would give the mods ample time to even give a warning prior to outright banning the account. Not that it would be necessary considering how easy they are to spot in general.

Dallas star · March 12th, 2012, 01:53 AM

Anyone still interested with this idea?

Nexis · March 12th, 2012, 05:58 AM

Alot of the other large forums i belong to require at least 30 posts before you can create a thread and there spam levels are much lower...or sites i use scan a user before he or she can post takes a day sometimes...

***Jan*** · March 12th, 2012, 01:55 PM

Not a bad idea, I'll check it out.

joshsam · November 3rd, 2012, 05:48 PM

The tall talk forum is full of spam bots right now...

goschio · November 4th, 2012, 01:52 AM

These spam bots get smarter and smarter. They even know the proper format to open threads now. They also keep posting pseudorelevant stuff to increase their post count and so look more credible.

masterpaul · November 4th, 2012, 06:10 AM

We could make registration more complicated, require facebook/work/school/uni mail. Or perhaps require someone to write a paragraph about themself or a random subject to a specific moderator. Then the moderator checks out the message and the person gets approved if it checks out.

joshsam · November 4th, 2012, 09:58 AM

^Bu that would give mods lots of work to on wich they might not agree...

***Svartmetall*** · November 5th, 2012, 01:18 PM

Not only that, but does that mean we have to have a mod who can speak each language that is set aside for members to write in their mother tongue? I know I wouldn't want to read garbled google translate English and wouldn't be able to understand Hindi paragraphs if they were sent to me.

Another consideration would be that people would be totally put off by the idea of having to submit a paragraph about themselves to be "judged" for admission to the board.

A nice thought, but almost impossible to implement.

Suburbanist · November 5th, 2012, 03:53 PM

Spam bots almost always resort to posting links.

A suggestion would be to subject all posts from forumers with less than x posts and a y days old account to moderation of any post that has any link.

Still wouldn't get everything, but would get most things.

Incidentally, they could restrict the ability of these recent forumers to post (but not read) on skybars and other restricted forums (not visible to the public), creating a disincentive for forumers that have thousands of skybar (global or local) posts but never do anything else.

Since the skybars are not visible to non-registered users, I keep wondering whether most of these accounts are just second aliases/users for forumers that want to troll or lash out without being tied to their "serious" account. If not that, except for previously banned users how could someone post less than 10 or 20 posts anywhere and be, from day one, extremely active on Skybar?

Disturbing Reality · November 7th, 2012, 12:25 AM

there are also spammers sending nonsense private messages! i wish we could also get rid of them!

February 29th, 2012, 04:57 AM	#1
Dallas star Everything Texas Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 2,768 Likes (Received): 3	Can we keep new users from creating threads? I've been seeing a lot of spam bots lately, why do we give people who just created an account permission to post in the most popular sub-forums? Wouldn't it be much better to set up a post limit they have to reach before they can post threads? So if they are spammers, we can report their posts before they will ever even be allowed to post threads. __________________ Check out Dallas! \| *Vote for YOUR* city here!**

February 29th, 2012, 03:48 PM	#4
*AltinD* The Modecator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Tiranë / DUBAI / Vienna Posts: 29,847 Likes (Received): 710	And they DO that. __________________ I am the eye in the sky, Looking at you I can read your mind I am the maker of rules, Dealing with fools I can cheat you blind.

February 29th, 2012, 06:23 PM	#5
*Jonesy55* Mooderator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Shrewsbury, Salopia Posts: 12,428 Likes (Received): 927	It's unlikely a spambot would make it to say, 25 posts, if that were the threshold for creating threads. They usually get spotted and banned before then...... __________________ *OFFICIAL* Shrewsbury Developments Thread Jonesy's travels Croatia, South Dalmatian Coast Montenegro - Mostar, Bosnia-Hercegovina SHREWSBURY - Shropshire - Manchester

February 29th, 2012, 06:51 PM	#7
*Jonesy55* Mooderator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Shrewsbury, Salopia Posts: 12,428 Likes (Received): 927	10-15 < 25 I'm not saying it is impossible that they could ever reach 25 but i think 90%+ would be eradicated before that... __________________ *OFFICIAL* Shrewsbury Developments Thread Jonesy's travels Croatia, South Dalmatian Coast Montenegro - Mostar, Bosnia-Hercegovina SHREWSBURY - Shropshire - Manchester

March 12th, 2012, 01:53 AM	#9
Dallas star Everything Texas Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 2,768 Likes (Received): 3	Anyone still interested with this idea? __________________ Check out Dallas! \| *Vote for YOUR* city here!**

March 12th, 2012, 05:58 AM	#10
Nexis Greetings form New Jersey Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Along the Pascack Valley line Posts: 4,382 Likes (Received): 170	Alot of the other large forums i belong to require at least 30 posts before you can create a thread and there spam levels are much lower...or sites i use scan a user before he or she can post takes a day sometimes... __________________ My FLICKR Page http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/ Check it out , i have Great Road , Rail , Cityscape and Nature Photos Check Out my Youtube Channel , lots of Regional Rail , Subway , Light Rail and Sim City 4 videos http://www.youtube.com/user/Nexis4Jersey

March 12th, 2012, 01:55 PM	#11
*Jan* High there, what's up! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Rotterdam Posts: 14,708 Likes (Received): 940	Not a bad idea, I'll check it out.

November 3rd, 2012, 05:48 PM	#12
joshsam Bokparty Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Sint-Truiden Posts: 4,322 Likes (Received): 314	The tall talk forum is full of spam bots right now... __________________ *Be. Forum Meeting - Brussels* Morocco: Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz region- A small trip report Belgium's capital of fruit: Sint-Truiden

November 4th, 2012, 01:52 AM	#13
goschio Oh sweet lord Jesus Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: BERLIN Posts: 4,917 Likes (Received): 327	These spam bots get smarter and smarter. They even know the proper format to open threads now. They also keep posting pseudorelevant stuff to increase their post count and so look more credible. __________________ Isaiah 28:2 Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. Matthew 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

November 4th, 2012, 06:10 AM	#14
masterpaul (Nilaul) Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1,335 Likes (Received): 33	We could make registration more complicated, require facebook/work/school/uni mail. Or perhaps require someone to write a paragraph about themself or a random subject to a specific moderator. Then the moderator checks out the message and the person gets approved if it checks out. __________________ http://architecture-and-arts.blogspot.com/ http://p-olak.deviantart.com/

November 4th, 2012, 09:58 AM	#15
joshsam Bokparty Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Sint-Truiden Posts: 4,322 Likes (Received): 314	^Bu that would give mods lots of work to on wich they might not agree... __________________ *Be. Forum Meeting - Brussels* Morocco: Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz region- A small trip report Belgium's capital of fruit: Sint-Truiden

November 5th, 2012, 01:18 PM	#16
*Svartmetall* Ordo Ab Chao Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Past: Northampton, UK (19 years), Auckland NZ (7 years), Now: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 9,310 Likes (Received): 322	Not only that, but does that mean we have to have a mod who can speak each language that is set aside for members to write in their mother tongue? I know I wouldn't want to read garbled google translate English and wouldn't be able to understand Hindi paragraphs if they were sent to me. Another consideration would be that people would be totally put off by the idea of having to submit a paragraph about themselves to be "judged" for admission to the board. A nice thought, but almost impossible to implement. __________________ "Alle Ding sind Gift, und nichts ohn Gift; allein die Dosis macht, daß ein Ding kein Gift ist." Paracelsus 1493-1541

November 5th, 2012, 03:53 PM	#17
Suburbanist SPQR Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 15,001 Likes (Received): 1160	Spam bots almost always resort to posting links. A suggestion would be to subject all posts from forumers with less than x posts and a y days old account to moderation of any post that has any link. Still wouldn't get everything, but would get most things. Incidentally, they could restrict the ability of these recent forumers to post (but not read) on skybars and other restricted forums (not visible to the public), creating a disincentive for forumers that have thousands of skybar (global or local) posts but never do anything else. Since the skybars are not visible to non-registered users, I keep wondering whether most of these accounts are just second aliases/users for forumers that want to troll or lash out without being tied to their "serious" account. If not that, except for previously banned users how could someone post less than 10 or 20 posts anywhere and be, from day one, extremely active on Skybar? __________________ Dream of the year: a city without streets.

November 7th, 2012, 12:25 AM	#18
Disturbing Reality Noxious Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: East Coast Posts: 1,148 Likes (Received): 43	there are also spammers sending nonsense private messages! i wish we could also get rid of them! __________________ Omnia Ad Dei Gloriam.. Heroes die first, Legends die hard

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