Spam Reduction Stratagies?

[SLH]

Anyone have any good ideas??

Here's a few of mine:

• Offtopic posts don't count towards a user's post count
• Remove post counts all-together, and instead have 'Average Words Per Post' as a statistic. (parse out quotes/code etc when counting).
  This may encurage users to post meaningfull posts instead of one word posts (with 10charlim in DimGrey).
• Have a post voting system where, if people want to they can mark a post as spam and if enough people do it then it get's discounted.
• Force a minimum word limit for posts (catching things like DimGrey text etc...)

Anyone want to comment on the above, or add their own ideas feel free.


P.S. I'm not sure how much you guys are willing to alter vB, so the last few ideas may be thrown away straight away.

EDIT: added more ideas

 

[ComradeBadger]

I'm afraid I don't like any of those.

Aside from removing post counts.

 

[Shuzer]

Am I the only one that doesn't see loads of spam? Or even think the level of spam is a problem?

 

[SLH]

Am I the only one that doesn't see loads of spam? Or even think the level of spam is a problem?

I highly doubt it, but i personally find it really irratating when someone posts a single word/smiley. I think many others share my view as well.

 

[ComradeBadger]

It may well become a problem later on I'm afraid.

Post-release.

 

[SLH]

Another idea (sort of combining 2):

How about changing vB so that users can mark a post as spam, then if a post recieves enough votes it's automatically deleted.
To prevent malicious use it could require a number of votes such as the number of words contained within the post.
You could possibly use the 'report this post' instead of seperate spam vote counter (as it would require less code changes).

 

[Chris D]

Another idea (sort of combining 2):

How about changing vB so that users can mark a post as spam, then if a post recieves enough votes it's automatically deleted.
To prevent malicious use it could require a number of votes such as the number of words contained within the post.
You could possibly use the 'report this post' instead of seperate spam vote counter (as it would require less code changes).

That feature is completely unnecessary. We'll delete any posts considered as spam or useless. If we don't consider it as useless, but the majority of members here think it is worthless then we ensure appropriate action is taken anyway.

The reported post feature of the forum could be used a lot more to ensure we don't miss the odd post here and there that we sometimes do.

 

[63]

The reported post feature of the forum could be used a lot more

or used less *63 points at SixThree

 

[StardogChampion]

Anyone have any good ideas??

Here's a few of mine:

• Offtopic posts don't count towards a user's post count
• Remove post counts all-together, and instead have 'Average Words Per Post' as a statistic. (parse out quotes/code etc when counting).
  This may encurage users to post meaningfull posts instead of one word posts (with 10charlim in DimGrey).
• Have a post voting system where, if people want to they can mark a post as spam and if enough people do it then it get's discounted.
• Force a minimum word limit for posts (catching things like DimGrey text etc...)

Anyone want to comment on the above, or add their own ideas feel free.

I like the top two ideas.

 

[SLH]

That feature is completely unnecessary. We'll delete any posts considered as spam or useless. If we don't consider it as useless, but the majority of members here think it is worthless then we ensure appropriate action is taken anyway.

The reported post feature of the forum could be used a lot more to ensure we don't miss the odd post here and there that we sometimes do.

Fair point, i just thought that a little automation may have made your jobs a little easier, so you only had to deal with repeat offenders etc...

What's your view on the other ideas?

 

[CrazyHarij]

The best way in my opinion is for the moderators to keep an active eye on the posts and members, warn people when they are spamming and delete spamposts.

Pretty much what they're doing now.

 

[Crushenator 500]

i like it how it is now tbh




sabbath bloody sabbath - black sabbath

 

[Letters]

Many words does not a good post make.

 

[SLH]

But i think all good posts have a minimum number of words, therefore the spam will be reduced.


If people don't like my ideas, does anyone have any of their own?

 

[Fat Tony!]

I like spam? Whats wrong with spam?

 

[Ansur]

How would you manage to get the off-topic posts to not count to the total # of posts?

 

[SLH]

How would you manage to get the off-topic posts to not count to the total # of posts?

By off-topic posts i mean the ones in the off-topic section of this forum (and vB supports not counting posts in different forums).

 

[Fat Tony!]

Thats bloody stupid, most sane people never post in the hl2 discussion. It sucks and will encourage even more spam.

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

If people don't like my ideas, does anyone have any of their own?

Yeah, leave it the way it already is.

 

[SLH]

So everyone in this thread (except ComradeBadger) thinks that spam is not, and will never be a problem?

(angry tone not intended, can't think of better wording)

 

[Sulkdodds]

As far as I can tell, we don't have a spam problem. Apart from in HL2 Discussion but no-one goes there anyway.

 

[Dedatorv]

I honestly don't see the big deal with post counts. There isn't any bonus or add-on once you reach like a thousand posts, other than the name thing, which probably should be removed since it could be a cause of all this 'spam'. It would be better off to remove the post counts for anything posted in the HL2 discussion. I've seen a lot more spam, stupidity, noobness come from the HL2 discussion than the off topic. I for one have stopped even looking in the HL2 portion of these forums because nothing but spam and idiotic topics come up there.

 

[Fat Tony!]

No my post count is all i have! It makes me different from the other noobies out there

 

[jackofthetrade32]

"Have a post voting system where, if people want to they can mark a post as spam and if enough people do it then it get's discounted."

This would be the best. lol. then I can press spam on all the admins.
There really isn't a good way to solve the problem without making another problem.

 

[Maxi]

There isn't really a spam problem exept the under 10char posts now and then.

IMO if a mod sees a post like that he should delete it.

 

[CyberSh33p]

disable posting

frankly I think removing post counts and ranks and enabling custom titles could help a nice deal.

 

[SLH]

"Have a post voting system where, if people want to they can mark a post as spam and if enough people do it then it get's discounted."

This would be the best. lol. then I can press spam on all the admins.
There really isn't a good way to solve the problem without making another problem.

You'd only allow one vote from each person obviously.