Fighting the spam

[MelloTrip]

Hello psychonauts.

This forum keeps being the target of spam bots and I guess this a problem for everyone, especially admins who have to clean this dirt daily.

We should discuss the possibility to introduce an anti-spam verification when posting a message.
For instance would it be possible to add, via a phpBB extension, a basic question to be answered when posting ?

Here is an option : http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopi ... 9&t=645075

Thanks.

 

[Forkbender]

We already have a field where people have to enter a hard to read combination of letters and numbers. As of now, computers cannot read these. So there are already people confirming for the spambots.

I don't think this mod will help much...

 

[MelloTrip]

Fork, I think it will, because there is a huge difference between having to confirm when you register and having to confirm when you register or post a message.

Anyway, it was just a suggestion.

 

[Forkbender]

AAah I didn't know you meant with every post. Now I understand.

I'd hate to see the website slow down (as in having to enter a code everytime you post), so I'm not directly in favour. But if more people think this is a good idea, I'm willing to consider it and talk to the owner.

 

[ararat]

I don't think that's a good idea, it'd be too annoying. braineater would go crazy

what if threads by people with less than ~30 posts had to be authorized by a mod before they actually show up? ok, then the bots still would be able to spam into threads (*knocks 3 times on a wooden table*) but those that we have seem to open new threads only. maybe having the first post of a new user to be authorized would help as well. hopefully something like this is technically possible.
banning the spambot's ip ranges would be an option as well.

 

[Forkbender]

We can make that happen, but it would require a LOT more moderation.

 

[MelloTrip]

I do think it will aswell.

On the other hand, asking a basic question like "What is 5+2 = to ?" will filter most not to say all the crap we get.
Such a question takes 1 second to be answered.

Is that a matter for the users here ?
I don't know. As for me, it is not.

 

[BrainEater]

maybe it's enough to formulate such a question for, and apply it to the creation of forum-accounts. accounts that are KNOWN to be bots can be banned easily. cuz obviously bots would create a forum account automatically, it'd make sense to stop them right there.

 

[Guest]

Just dropping by to say that we're not having any advertising spam on the french board yet (and I didn't realised there were so many on the internation one, are the mods here really cleaning it DAILY???), so adding any hard mesures would hurt more than it would help there.

Besides, I don't see how asking a question like "5+2 = ???" would be different from solving the actual captcha ?

 

[spice]

I just realized that I can delete this shit anywhere on the board I find it. Problem solved. I am a spam serial killer


BADNEWS SPAMMERS


muuuuuahhhhhhahhhaaha

 

[BrainEater]

nice one!!! a general to fight the brainless army of the wicked un-dead agenda!!! all ur base are belong to us to quote a classic!!
:weedman:

 

[spice]

anyone pm me when you find this crap.



I'll take care of it.

 

[ararat]

there's also the possibility of reporting that shit, it's around the quote and edit button stuff. mellotrip has been reporting quite a lot, thanks for that

I'm in favour of that question when you register. it doesn't hurt anyone and it got quite some potential to keep spambots away from the forum.

 

[spice]

sure, but I enjoy terminating spam


think of me as a 'pound of cure'

 

[ararat]

ok
to be honest I somewhat enjoyed it as well. next round goes to you spice

 

[spice]

yes report it, but that kind of plays to spams strengths, leaving it sitting around while everyone debates a solution.

It sits and gets into every awareness that comes across it, doing exactly what it was designed to do, net the 3 out of 10 curious nibbles that may lead to a sale.


:vom: spam sucks


I say let's murder it :axe:

 

[BrainEater]

kill it before it kills you! don't let the net of the enemy disrupt your plans to defeat it! don't be the fish in the net, instead be the hand that pulls the net out of the sea and be the mouth that eats the tassssssssty fish! :finga:

 

[spice]

yesssssss