Handling The Spam!

[GregP]

The levels of spam are getting brutal. I'm not a forum admin pro, but here are some things that might help:

- new captcha for registration

- prune the userlist. Maybe some spambots are using old logins?

- additional mods

Regarding the 3rd one, it doesn't have to be full-on mods or anything, enforcing rules, etc. It could just be trustworthy people who are simply willing to delete spam threads. I'm on here at least every other day, sometimes multiple times a day, so I'll gladly volunteer. Unfortunately, "Delete thread" and "Delete Post" is one of the highest mod privs, so it'll be hard to give someone that sort of control/power without giving the whole mod shebang on paper. But in practice, they could just be deleters. Y'know?

Greg

[Daniel Sorbera]

The levels of spam are getting brutal. I'm not a forum admin pro, but here are some things that might help:

- new captcha for registration

- prune the userlist. Maybe some spambots are using old logins?

- additional mods

Regarding the 3rd one, it doesn't have to be full-on mods or anything, enforcing rules, etc. It could just be trustworthy people who are simply willing to delete spam threads. I'm on here at least every other day, sometimes multiple times a day, so I'll gladly volunteer. Unfortunately, "Delete thread" and "Delete Post" is one of the highest mod privs, so it'll be hard to give someone that sort of control/power without giving the whole mod shebang on paper. But in practice, they could just be deleters. Y'know?

Greg

I wanted to post the same thing earlier today. It's getting ridiculous! I'll throw in my application for helper mod.

I know the mods are busy and you can't be on 24/7 to clean things up, but maybe the answer (at least temporarily, since it's a big problem lately) is to add more mods.

They might even consider giving mod status to more people but making it so they can "police" only in the off topic section (although these spam threads are now showing up in other sections).

[Bmth Builder]

I would say apoint a couple of mods, one from each time zone

I own my own forum and have run 2 more in my time so I can do it if you want

Its mainly in off topic chat that they go for so you can alocate mods just for that part of the forum.

[WAK Guitars]

I noticed there was one spammer who did like 5 of the same posts today. Usually a spammer only does one post and hits the road.

[Setch]

Just cleared off 50+ spam posts from the OT board - should make things a bit easier to navigate!

Don't know what the solution is to stop te spam, but a few more deputised regulars couldn't hurt.

I noticed there was one spammer who did like 5 of the same posts today. Usually a spammer only does one post and hits the road.

5? I wish. Make that 35!

[Maiden69]

Tell me about it, 25 today, and that is only the ones reported! Everytime there is a spamer we block their ability to post INDEF, so they are not using old ID's. But I really think that we need to up the way people register to the forum. I'm in 2 other forums now, and one don't let you post until your ID is verified by email and the other one, you get the email thing and then one of the MODs will take a look at your registration, you only have access to one part of the forum while logged on until the MOD or Admin allows you to. It took 2 days for mine to be up.

[Bmth Builder]

Its weird because the forum I own has the same registration process as PG (its invision so its slightly differnt, but you still choose a username password and click the agreement) and is no more secure than PG in any way,

and yet it has only ever had one spam bot in two years, which is kind of weird.

I also run an application process (its a game site) so the new member has to reply to a couple of questions about the game and then I approve them for full board access,

that would help in that the new members could only be allowed to post in one area, but it will not stop the bots it will just concentrate the spam into one area, so more mods will ahve to be appointed to mod that section.

[mammoth guitars]

+1 use a captcha

[Inisheer]

I agree that a captcha might help. I use other forums and there is a captcha form in the registration process. There are little to no spammers on those sites. I don't know how they work, so I'm not sure if PG could add one. Also, that would only work if there were "spambots" as they were called already. If actual people do the spamming, then there doesn't seem to be a solution, other than more mods or "deleters." Hopefully some simple solution can be found though.

[Bmth Builder]

I doubt these are anything other than bots

[fryovanni]

I would be happy to be a deputy mod., but it sure seems like with the frequency of these posts it is kinda like handing out more spray bottles to put out the bonfire. I would be happy to donate some cash to a software purchase(I have no idea whether that is a solution, or what that may cost or entail) to help block these posts.

On another note. Is it my imagination, or has this place been pretty quiet(in terms of member fueds and mod intervention). Kinda nice, and pretty impressive with the traffic

Rich

[WezV]

On another note. Is it my imagination, or has this place been pretty quiet(in terms of member fueds and mod intervention). Kinda nice, and pretty impressive with the traffic

Rich

i know what you mean... i even managed to make a post with the words 'guitar' and 'burning' together in the same sentence last saturday... not even a comment in return.

[brutas]

This is an issue I have supported for a long time. I still vote for placing a time limit from their initial registry to their first post. Spammers are not going to care enough to set up an account and wait 24 hrs before posting. I am willing to help out in any way I can. It is downright embarrassing to open up this forum in front of my wife and have it be more about porn than guitars. If I was not already converted to PG and was looking for my first time I would never return.

[CrazyManAndy]

Yeah, it would be nice if something could be done at the sign-up process (captcha or unique input, etc.). I'd be willing to become a "half mod" to help deal with the spam. I usually check the forum two or three times a day, at least, so it wouldn't be a big deal for me.

CMA

[zyonsdream]

Its weird because the forum I own has the same registration process as PG (its invision so its slightly differnt, but you still choose a username password and click the agreement) and is no more secure than PG in any way,

and yet it has only ever had one spam bot in two years, which is kind of weird.

I also run an application process (its a game site) so the new member has to reply to a couple of questions about the game and then I approve them for full board access,

that would help in that the new members could only be allowed to post in one area, but it will not stop the bots it will just concentrate the spam into one area, so more mods will ahve to be appointed to mod that section.

It comes down to traffic and page rank. Google (and other places) give each website a page rank and smaller forums (I have one too) rarely get hit because your page rank is really low. This site has a higher page rank therefore it gets more attention from the bots. After all, the same bots that Google uses to determine page validity are the same bots spammers use to flood forums and blogs with their links. This would explain how you use the same methods to activate users and why you don’t get spammed much.

[Dean]

I just thought I would chime in here,I logged on yesterday and was surprised to see so much porn spam.It was just crazy....I do not have a solution,but would help in any way I could.

[Dean]

On another note. Is it my imagination, or has this place been pretty quiet(in terms of member fueds and mod intervention). Kinda nice, and pretty impressive with the traffic

Rich

i know what you mean... i even managed to make a post with the words 'guitar' and 'burning' together in the same sentence last saturday... not even a comment in return.

Rich,it is not your imagination,there seems to be more respect and good will being used.May it stay that way,I enjoy logging on to read and reply a lot more these days.Now back to your ugly guitar thread.....Wes ,How ya doing? hahaha

[WezV]

Now back to your ugly guitar thread.....Wes ,How ya doing? hahaha

you calling my guitars ugly!!!! i think its time for one of those old fashioned PG wars!!!

PS. i have an idea for that veneer you sent me, in particular the quilted maple... there is talk of an alembic style double neck!!! the most important thing about building a double neck is having someone who wants to buy and play it - and i have someone who will if he sells his house soon (not that i am charging that much!!!)

[Bmth Builder]

It comes down to traffic and page rank.

I dont think it entirely comes down to traffic, because PG doesnt get as much traffic as say ultimate guitar but seems to get a lot more bots, and UG has a huge traffic rating.

Also another forum I use to run has been open for many years and has never had a bot and thats had a lot more traffic than the forum I own that has been open for less time and has had a bot (they're both invision boards so may be they get less bots)

So its down to luck as well, (although I do agree traffic is more likely to get bots).

[soapbarstrat]

If there's a couple of guys who are doing most of the reporting of the spam posts, turn them into mods, or modettes.

So simple, I shouldn't have to say it.

[Inisheer]

It comes down to traffic and page rank. Google (and other places) give each website a page rank and smaller forums (I have one too) rarely get hit because your page rank is really low. This site has a higher page rank therefore it gets more attention from the bots. After all, the same bots that Google uses to determine page validity are the same bots spammers use to flood forums and blogs with their links. This would explain how you use the same methods to activate users and why you don’t get spammed much.

I'm not an expert on how spambots work, but I'm not sure this is the case here. Like Neil said, the Page Rank for PG really isn't that high. Here is just a quick comparison to other sites:

TalkBass.com- Page Rank -5 , Alexa rating- 24,586

Ultimate-Guitar Page Rank- 5 , Alexa rating- 289

Project Guitar Page Rank- 1 , Alexa rating- 107,923

So....saying that PG is targeted for spam because it is popular doesn't seem to be the case. Out of the possible 10 PR scores available, PG has a 1 while these other two sites have a 5. Also they get MUCH more traffic (especially UG) than PG ever gets. I love this forum and use it more than any other, but it is definitely not the busiest. You can check the forum at the end of the day and read all the fresh posts fairly quickly. Try doing that in the main bass section of TalkBass! There are new posts every few minutes.

Anyway, both TalkBass and Ultimate Guitar get a LOT more attention than PG and they don't have the spam problems as much. I'm not sure why this site is targeted so much, but I don't think the PR has much to do with it. Not really sure how to stop spammers from being interested in this site, but I think some change to the registration process should help with the problem. Like other people mentioned...it is embarrassing to come to this site and see the headlines about free porn or something. I hope we can figure out some way to fix this problem. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

[Dean]

Now back to your ugly guitar thread.....Wes ,How ya doing? hahaha

you calling my guitars ugly!!!! i think its time for one of those old fashioned PG wars!!!

PS. i have an idea for that veneer you sent me, in particular the quilted maple... there is talk of an alembic style double neck!!! the most important thing about building a double neck is having someone who wants to buy and play it - and i have someone who will if he sells his house soon (not that i am charging that much!!!)

LOL...I thought I was on another post...The ugly guitar one..hahaha....Naw Wes your guitars are just fine,looking forward to see you use some of that wood.Hey the housing market prices here are about the same as a good custom guitar.haha Take care and have a beer for me !!!!

[Maiden69]

PG will not have the same traffic as U-G and talkbass because we are a "selective" forum. We are builders, and most of the topics and forums here are about building guitars. Those other forums are full of players. If you were a player, were would you hang out? At a forum that will help you develop your skills, get tabs, etc... or at a forum that will help you make an instrument?

Now that said, I still don't understand why we are getting so much spam!

[Setch]

If there's a couple of guys who are doing most of the reporting of the spam posts, turn them into mods, or modettes.

So simple, I shouldn't have to say it.

That was exactly how we selected the last 2 mods... nothin' new under the sun.

Problem for me is, the 'report post' function is utter, utter, crap. I have *never* recieved one, despite seeing dozens of reported posts every day. I'm not able to judge who is reporting a lot, or I'd nominate them!

[Maiden69]

I guess I get all the reports then. I have to delete them all the time. And they go to my email address to.