Spambots

Dr._Shoe

Surely these are duplicate posts? Why not just ban duplicates?

Dr._Shoe

...Or sequential posts in the same thread.

Dr._Shoe

Like wot I just done!

Mandelbrot

MSE_Megan wrote: »

This is what we're conscious of when taking steps to stop the spam. We're always open to suggestions though so keep them coming

How about a member of the MSE staff having the responsibility to press a supercharged 'report spam' button at the usual times these things occur?
That would save the various ordinary bods on the system in the wee small hours from having to make up the necessary total of button presses.

It's not as though the majority of this stuff is hard to locate.

fermi

MSE staff (with admin permissions) and forum team would not need any form of spam button. They have built in admin tools to stop/ban anyway. More of any issue that they can't be around 24/7 and maybe could not monitor all posts even if they were.

One possibility is that perhaps established users clicks could count for more? e.g. a BG or other long terms poster's click may count for 3 clicks rather than just one, getting rid quicker if they spot and click?

torbrex

That was suggested before fermi but it was shot down by Andrea
I think it's the best idea though if it could be made to work, it would certainly cut the amount of time the spam was on the board if it only took 3 or 4 of the 'special' clicks to remove it.

Mandelbrot

fermi wrote: »

MSE staff (with admin permissions) and forum team would not need any form of spam button. They have built in admin tools to stop/ban anyway.

Yes.
I was being somewhat facetious. Pity they don't use those tools properly.

More of any issue that they can't be around 24/7

Why not?
This is a multi-million pound business, is it not? Adequate staffing levels round the clock (who could operate from anywhere for this particular task) would seem sensible planning.

and maybe could not monitor all posts even if they were.

You do not need to 'monitor all posts' to deal with the sort of spam we are talking about.

One possibility is that perhaps established users clicks could count for more? e.g. a BG or other long terms poster's click may count for 3 clicks rather than just one, getting rid quicker if they spot and click?

Good in theory, but I checked once on the number of BGs that were logged-in at the time of a particular flood of spam, and there was just one of them.
(And anyway, just being logged-in doesn't mean that user is active on the site.)

fermi

torbrex wrote: »

That was suggested before fermi but it was shot down by Andrea
I think it's the best idea though if it could be made to work, it would certainly cut the amount of time the spam was on the board if it only took 3 or 4 of the 'special' clicks to remove it.

Would require custom modification of the button hack, which may not be too straight forward, although a decent web dev should be able find a way. Just requires.... motivation.

fermi

Dr._Shoe wrote: »

Surely these are duplicate posts? Why not just ban duplicates?

Dr._Shoe wrote: »

...Or sequential posts in the same thread.

Dr._Shoe wrote: »

Like wot I just done!

Duplicates with certain time scales are blocked - seen the warning you get, but they do vary the text/content they post anticipating that.

Timeout between posts could perhaps be lengthened, but again is only going to slow them down a little and could impact normal users unfairly.

It where to find that balance again.

Robin9

All the spams seem to come from Newbies.

Why not introduce a time delay for Newbie posts - say 15 mins- and if they try to post again within this time automatically reportto MSE Towers ?