Tech: Preventing GUEST Spam

Subject: Tech: Preventing GUEST Spam
From: Paul Burke
Date: 23 Nov 06 - 03:29 AM

Max:

I'm sorry to ressurect this issue, but after the shenanigins of last week, I see we now have a new outbreak of spam from people posting as guest.

Earlier this week, I emailed my Member of Parliament about something, using a site writetothem. To block spam, when you post, an automatically generated email is sent, containing a confirmation code, and the post is only completed if this is returned. There must be a time limit, though I don't know how long.

This stops machine generated spam, and I feel that while Guests are far more often valuable than not, it's not a lot to ask that they should either sign up as members, or confirm their post by returning the email.

Subject: RE: Tech: Preventing GUEST Spam
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 23 Nov 06 - 05:09 AM

Paul -

I've seen this method used by some email boxes, but question (not necessarily as an objection) whether the delay to get the reply might have a disconcerting effect on order of postings. Some email services are quite slow in delivering the mail. I've sent myself emails that took nearly a full day to arrive.

With email, your address for the send-back is automatically revealed to the recipient for sending the confirm request (unless you deliberately conceal it) but with a post it would require a separate, specific action for the poster to submit an email addy - with reluctance to do that probably being a main reason why they are GUESTs.

A more common method for posted contributions is just to require a moderator to check them (all posts by GUEST?) before they appear in the thread; but that could put another rather large burden on our elves.

Another fairly common method for killing machine posts is to use an image of randomly(?) generated numbers/letters and require the poster to copy and type them before the post is completed. That could be as automatic as sending an email requesting confirmation. It would eliminate machine-made posts, but not the "just ornery human" ones.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Preventing GUEST Spam
From: The Shambles
Date: 23 Nov 06 - 05:15 AM

If spam is such a problem for you and don't like the open invitation that Max has extended for public contributions and for so long - why do you not find somewhere else?

If you do like the good aspects of our forum - perhaps you will be prepared to bear with the efforts being made by Max to deal with some of the less good aspects?

Perhaps you would agree that seeing a little bit of spam (until it can be dealt with) is but a small price for you and everyone else being basically free to say as they wish?

Subject: RE: Tech: Preventing GUEST Spam
From: Grab
Date: 23 Nov 06 - 05:46 AM

Roger, Paul and John weren't suggesting stopping Guests posting anonymously, just putting something in place to limit spam.

The captcha system (random distorted letters on a squiggly background) is very well established, and it's phenomenally difficult for a spammer to solve. It also puts very little extra hassle in the way of Guests posting - if you can type an intelligent post, you can surely type half a dozen characters in afterwards.

Graham.

Subject: RE: Tech: Preventing GUEST Spam
From: Wolfgang
Date: 23 Nov 06 - 05:54 AM

For those who wish to discuss something - it will be a suitable topic.

Those who do not consider is so have every right to avoid opening, reading and posting to the thread concerned. (Shambles)

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Tech: Preventing GUEST Spam
From: Grab
Date: 23 Nov 06 - 08:47 AM

Oops, just realised the possible confusion. That should read:-

"Roger: Paul and John weren't..."

Subject: RE: Tech: Preventing GUEST Spam
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Nov 06 - 08:50 AM

I'd just like to see whomever is mucking about in the Help Forum stopped.

Subject: RE: Tech: Preventing GUEST Spam
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Nov 06 - 09:10 AM

Not that I've been hit badly, I've been looking at possible methods for my sites where guest posting is allowed. I had a quick look at a graphic one and thought it simple enough to implement. The possible drawback I saw with it is with a blind person but it is a simple enough matter to convert text to a wav file.