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GM Luna View Drop Down
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Joined: 22 Oct 2011
Location: Illyriad
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Points: 2042 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: How to deal with forum spam
    Posted: 05 Jan 2014 at 05:22
This has already been dealt with by the new user registration changes.

Luna
GM Luna | Illyriad Community Manager | community@illyriad.co.uk
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Sisren View Drop Down
Forum Warrior
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Joined: 03 Feb 2012
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Points: 446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jan 2014 at 05:09
To show by example that more complicated problems can be resolved with easy corrections.
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Joined: 05 Aug 2011
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Points: 128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jan 2014 at 03:18
Originally posted by HonoredMule HonoredMule wrote:

On the wiki, spam has basically been a non-issue since I imposed the simple requirement that newly registered usernames match an existing Illyriad account username.  Spammers can't cope with requiring even the foggiest level of domain-specific insight, and for actual players it's a pretty easy hoop through which to jump.
why resurrect a 14month old post?
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Points: 1650 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jan 2014 at 03:07
On the wiki, spam has basically been a non-issue since I imposed the simple requirement that newly registered usernames match an existing Illyriad account username.  Spammers can't cope with requiring even the foggiest level of domain-specific insight, and for actual players it's a pretty easy hoop through which to jump.
"Apparently, quoting me is a 'thing' now."
- HonoredMule
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Points: 979 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Oct 2012 at 05:27
Luna!  LMAO - Awesome post here!  (^_^)  

Yeah, I saw those posts...  Before going to sleep, I sent the poster a polite forum mail asking them to not post spam - but when I awoke the next morning, they were already banned and my message went unread.  Let this be a lesson to all:  The mighty ban-hammer will get you faster than you can read a forum mail!  Mua ha ha ha - trolls beware!
"Side? I am on nobody's side because nobody is on my side" ~LoTR
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Points: 800 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2012 at 18:25
I've tested the "forum mail to Luna" strategy 2 or 3 times, it works like a charme.  I've also tested the "ignore obvious external link spam" strategy more often, it works as expected.  Similar strategies "blank or ignore spam articles until HonoredMule gets rid of it" do the trick in the wiki.  

But I'm always curious, the last forum spammer managed to post three remotely on topic one liners before posting an external link spam in a fourth thread.  When I found it the spammer had 10 points with one thanks for the external link.  Do they now work with two accounts to get a thanks?  And even if they do, 3+1 posts with one thanks should yield 5 points, where did the spammer get the other 5 points?

Update @GMs:  Please enable the edit source (raw HTML) feature in the forum editor, same idea as in the profile and IGM editor.  Obviously abuse is possible without this feature.  


Edited by dunnoob - 30 Sep 2012 at 19:40
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GM Luna View Drop Down
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Joined: 22 Oct 2011
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Points: 2042 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2012 at 15:13
If you haven't noticed, our forum software isn't terribly sophisticated. So sometimes those nasty little spammers get through and start posting nonsense and advertising junk in replies or new forum threads. It's annoying for all of us, but here are some things to keep in mind.

If you see spam on the forums:

DO
  • Take a deep breath and remain calm
  • Choose one of two acceptable possible responses to the offending spam post
  1. Ignore it completely, safe in the knowledge that your intrepid forum moderator GM Luna will see the post and squash it like a bug 
  2. If you want to be extra helpful, report the post to GM Luna using a private message to make extra super sure she knows there's a dirty rotten little spammer polluting our otherwise sacred space

DO NOT
  • Click on any links in the spam post, because who really knows where that ad for neckties really leads, amirite?
  • Respond or reply to the spam post in any manner including "hey you, you are spam, stupid spam!," resulting in your post also getting deleted and creating more un-fun work for GM Luna
  • Quote the spam and then point out "hey this is spam," resulting in your post also getting deleted and creating more un-fun work for GM Luna
  • Attempt to have a conversation of any sort with the spammer which will ultimately get your post also deleted and create more un-fun work for GM Luna

Thanks for your understanding and cooperation. Happy posting!

GM Luna
GM Luna | Illyriad Community Manager | community@illyriad.co.uk
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