Spam threads persisting for half a day.

[Bigbazz]

The Warrior forums have been full of spam threads since 10am and it's 5pm now. Can you not implement a post restriction such as one post every 5-10 mins for new accounts, relaxing as the user's post number increases gradually or based on account age? There has to be some solution so that we don't have entire subforums filled with spam posts for an entire day.

[Mirishka]

And while we're at it, restrict new user's ability to create topics, period. It'll cut down on the amount of spam threads and the amount of nonsense from 1-post burner accounts. Something like you have to post at least 75 times to be able to create a topic.

*edited for clarity, didn't mean for this to be 'instead of' the OP's suggestion

[callipygoustp]

It's just as easy to automate the making of posts as it is to make a thread.

[Calfredd]

Or simply restrict new user's ability to create topics, period. It'll cut down on the amount of spam and the amount of nonsense from 1-post burner accounts. Something like you have to post at least 75 times to be able to create a topic.

But then how do you fix them spamming in current threads?

[KOUNTERPARTS]

I knew this thread was coming.

[Mirishka]

But then how do you fix them spamming in current threads?

Hm, yeah, a limitation on the amount of posts per day or something. Sorry, I should have presented that as an addendum, not 'instead'.

[KOUNTERPARTS]

I remember one of these threads about spam popped up a while ago and somebody pointed out how this website runs on a domain that is not the current version of the domain? Or something like that? Implying that the current version has capabilities of limiting thread spam based on account creation and post count.


I think?

[draynay]

It is becoming more and more frequent.

What can we do to help? Do you need more mods? More reports? Would doing away with the 30 second report timer help?

[Lucetia]

restrict new user's ability to create topics, period. It'll cut down on the amount of spam threads

Just wanted to mention, and this is my own thoughts not the staffs, that even if new topics were unable to be created by new accounts it wouldn't stop spam bots. They would just piggy back in existing threads making it harder to notice initially. There are some now that exist, but they "pretend" to be on topic so people don't notice them as much. So they would just spam whatever amount of threads and then go back to creating main threads.

[Marrilaife]

Something like you have to post at least 75 times to be able to create a topic.

Biggest problem with that is all the idiotic posts bots spam with "this is an interesting blog" etc. obvious generic one-liners usually also necro reviving 2 year old threads and stuff. And they do this only to reach 10 post limit to embed links to whatever they're peddling.

[MrLachyG]

And while we're at it, restrict new user's ability to create topics, period. It'll cut down on the amount of spam threads and the amount of nonsense from 1-post burner accounts. Something like you have to post at least 75 times to be able to create a topic.

*edited for clarity, didn't mean for this to be 'instead of' the OP's suggestion

the argument against that, as has been explained to me anyway when I've raised that point, is that its easier to let them make topics and nuke them that way because its harder targeting posts, as they can post anywhere but only ever seem to make topics

[AwkwardSquirtle]

Is it possible at least to prevent new posters from reaching the front page?

[Bigbazz]

Several topics on it just below this one, all with with a global mod or admin answering why and why not:

"As we have said in the other spambot threads (some just below this one), the reason we do not have a post count requirement for new threads is because then the bots spam in existing threads, which makes them much harder to both find and to take care of then when they make new threads. There is already a post count requirement in place to post links.

Additionally, much of this spam is done by real people rather than actual bots, which means they can get around many of our automated filters. Captcha (which afaik already is implemented) doesn't work much of the time.

We do have automated filters. We have a third party spam filter that catches the grand majority of these, and it is smart and learns from past threads so it can more quickly identify future ones. For every thread you see on the forum, there were probably 10+ caught on the back end. It is inevitable some get through, and we clean these up as fast as we can.

Report them when you see them, but otherwise all I can ask is that you be patient when they get through. They seldom sit on the board for more than a few hours (and most times much less than that), but because the mod team is volunteers, we can't ensure 24/7 coverage all the time. We don't like spam either and want it gone as quickly as possible. "

I meant more like a post count restriction. If you're a new account and you can post multiple threads in succession you can quickly fill up a subforum, you can't do that if there is a time restriction between posts. They could allow them to make threads but limit it to one thread/post per 5-10 mins. Also you can look at how WoW chat channels mute people who post messages too quickly, if someone is making 3 threads in the space of 5 mins then they should be locked from further posts for "x" amount of time.

Stuff like this will rarely if ever distrupt normal users.

Edit : And just as I post another subforum is filled full of spam threads, it's mostly 1-3 accounts doing it at a time, if you can restrict new users ability to post it'd have to at least help.

[ranzino]

baaaah 8 pages and counting in General Off-Topic by now, nothing but spam messages there

plz get a large broom and sweep through

[XDurionX]

And while we're at it, restrict new user's ability to create topics, period. It'll cut down on the amount of spam threads and the amount of nonsense from 1-post burner accounts. Something like you have to post at least 75 times to be able to create a topic.

*edited for clarity, didn't mean for this to be 'instead of' the OP's suggestion

This wil just lead to additional 75 spam postings per thread.

[Tziva]

They will be handled. Please search as these questions have already been answered dozens of times

As we have said in the other spambot threads (some just below this one), the reason we do not have a post count requirement for new threads is because then the bots spam in existing threads, which makes them much harder to both find and to take care of then when they make new threads. There is already a post count requirement in place to post links.

Additionally, much of this spam is done by real people rather than actual bots, which means they can get around many of our automated filters. Captcha (which afaik already is implemented) doesn't work much of the time.

We do have automated filters. We have a third party spam filter that catches the grand majority of these, and it is smart and learns from past threads so it can more quickly identify future ones. For every thread you see on the forum, there were probably 10+ caught on the back end. It is inevitable some get through, and we clean these up as fast as we can.

Report them when you see them, but otherwise all I can ask is that you be patient when they get through. They seldom sit on the board for more than a few hours (and most times much less than that), but because the mod team is volunteers, we can't ensure 24/7 coverage all the time. We don't like spam either and want it gone as quickly as possible.

I'm going through and cleaning up as much as I'm able to now. It takes time.