To help cut down on spam

[Hi Ho]

I have noticed at a couple other forums I have joined recently that they have a rule that does not allow you to post a link until you have a certain number of posts. Now, most spammers that come on these forums come to post a couple links and don't care if they are banned. Why not prevent that all together by requiring maybe 5 posts before allowing a new user to post a link?

The thing I would want to make sure of is that if a legitimate user attempts to post a legitimate link that goes with their question that they not lose everything they wrote. It happened to me. I wrote a lenghty three paragraph post when I joined the AVS forums. I included a couple links to things I was asking about. When I hit submit it told me I couldn't post links yet and to click back to remove the links. I did so and everything I wrote was gone. :made: If this anti-spam tactic could be implemented here without that glitch I think it would cut down on those one time trolls that come here to advertise their junk.

[Stryker]

That's a fantastic idea Hi Ho!!

As you said, every time I see a spamer create a thread, it has links to their "amazing deals" and that is the entire purpose of their post. If they can't insert links, the post would be useless and hopefully wouldn't bother creating the thread at all.

As you say though... implimenting this without angering new-comers is the key.
Again... great idea,
Stryker

[nubbler]

That is a good idea!
But how to not anger new people if they want to link to something that they have a question about or a link that isn't spam might be difficult. Maybe they could have a option that if they wanted to post with a link they would have to submit that post and a moderator or other trusted members set up could determine if it was spam and if it is then not post it and if not then post it. But I don't know what the chances of someone with those privilages to be here within a few minutes of them wating to post and it would take some work o get that set up. Oh well, just something to get everybody rolling....

[Punked Out Comp]

You could post a link like this:

forum.pcmech.com


That doesnt become a hyperlink, but you can still copy and paste it. On the one hand that would allow people with legitamet links to post them, but then that wouldnt affect the spammers, so it would be pointless, which would make the no links thing pointless no matter how you do it.

[Nuclear Krusader]

Originally Posted by Hi Ho Why not prevent that all together by requiring maybe 5 posts before allowing a new user to post a link?

Post 1 .

[Nuclear Krusader]

Post 2 .

[Nuclear Krusader]

Post 3 .

[Nuclear Krusader]

Post 4 .

[Nuclear Krusader]

Post 5.

Now I can spam.


In a nutshell and despite my unethical way to illustrate a strategy such as the one suggested would not work, if a spammer wants to spam, he will do so. He can just make 5 posts of anything and then start spamming. Gee, those posts may be the spam itself using the tactic Punked Out Comp is suggesting. He could post in every forum and then, once the limit is reached just go back and turn them posts to hyperlinks.

This kind of problem is better left to be handled by the mods. Were PCM a forum where the mods dropped by once a week, then maybe a strategy for avoiding spam would be needed, but since the mods are always around, it is not worth the trouble of implementing.

[TwoRails]

Seems like a good idea, but do we actually have a problem to fix?

[glc]

Well, there *IS* one problem that we do need to fix. Members must NOT respond to spam posts, this just makes MORE SPAM. There is a very good reason there is a REPORT POST link in EACH and EVERY post. Members are to use that, NOT post responses. Reporting a post will send an e-mail to the listed moderator for that forum, and we WILL take care of it.

[kstatefan40]

Originally Posted by glc Reporting a post will send an e-mail to the listed moderator for that forum, and we WILL take care of it.

Thats the easiest way to solve the problem, and it gives the great moderators something to do when they get home from a long day of work...

Actually, the easiest way to stop spam is to not be a punk and do it in the first place, imo.

[Panama Red]

Originally Posted by kstatefan40 ... and it gives the great moderators something to do when they get home from a long day of work...

How did you know, TT, that the most enjoyable part of reading my personal email (after a long day of work )is wading thru the reported posts because some creep decided to do some free advertising! Just a PERFECT way to start the evening!

[Punked Out Comp]

Originally Posted by kstatefan40 Actually, the easiest way to stop spam is to not be a punk and do it in the first place, imo.

What does being a punk have to do with it?

[David M]

Rarely is there a perfect solution to a problem.