Spam Bots are back

Tiglath

I must've reported some 70-80 posts over the past 24 hours across 3 new usernames. It's ridiculous - please sort it out, MSE.

fermi

I've zapped at least 40 this morning, but they are still coming.

fermi

torbrex wrote: »

I have noticed over the last couple of days that the forum has been invaded by Spam Bots once again, this time it is love spells and black magic from India.

During the upcoming Forum redesign could you put in a 'Capcha' for newbies for their probation period.

I know I asked this before but here I am asking again. Its all very well saying "hit the spam button" but when members are faced with dozens of these :spam: messages, it does get a bit soul destroying at times.

One thing I have suggested in the past is to change the spam button weighting for trusted members.

In other words it takes fewer clicks by them to get rid of spam. Their "click" would count say 2 or 3 times more. Or even be say an instant delete for BGs clicking.

Obviously not as good as more enhanced measures as discussed, but may help counter that spam button malaise where people just can't be bothered to click it any more?

torbrex

fermi wrote: »

One thing I have suggested in the past is to change the spam button weighting for trusted members.

In other words it takes fewer clicks by them to get rid of spam. Their "click" would count say 2 or 3 times more. Or even be say an instant delete for BGs clicking.

Obviously not as good as more enhanced measures as discussed, but may help counter that spam button malaise where people just can't be bothered to click it any more?

Anything would help fermi. I just hate seeing 70 views on what is obviously spam and the thread still there.

It is just sickening to see the spam clogging up the boards and searches.

It has been suggested the moving them to a unique board rather than deleting them could be an option but would they still show up on a forum wide search? if it was a hidden board then it would be no use as far as the google initiative is concerned as they would not show up to the search engine.

fermi

I would rather have them completely off the board, no matter. Just on point of principle if nothing else. They have no place on here. A "hidden" board would be no practical difference to deletion, so can't see how that could possibly be of any use.

torbrex

Like you, I want to see the boards clear of them and a more rapid removal the better.

It is not possible to stop all the spam but on a forum this size with such a small editing team, more power has to be given to BG's or as I suggest a spambusting team.

On a different note, one thread in particular was targetted this morning with at least 2 new members posting exactly the same thing, I counted 26 posts in a row before I switched off.

fermi

I suspect I know the one you mean, if it is one where an infamous company did not like the truth about it being posted, so they decided to spam the hell out of the thread until it got locked or deleted.

torbrex

It has been deleted.

It was locked for a while then re-opened but after that attack this morning, its gone so the company concerned has won that battle

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

torbrex wrote: »

I just hate seeing 70 views on what is obviously spam and the thread still there.

Exactly. It makes you wonder how many clicks are needed or if people just can't be bothered to click.

Tiglath

And it's back again with another user name. Sigh.