Hi
I designed several forums for a client, the emphasis being on designed because they were initially going to do the set up themselves, however they have now asked me to do the set up for them.
I did initially set them so that they require registration and memberships need approval but the forums are still getting heavily spammed on a daily basis, so much so that they are contemplating taking them down because they cannot moderate them single handed.
People are registering, my client is approving them and then they are posting porn pictures directly in the threads, what is the best way to stop this?
Also can you recommend any other steps I can take to eliminate spam, the forums are related to child illness and therefore need to be clean and spam free.
I suggested the client approve all posts but they don't want to have to do this if it can be avoided.
Many Thanks In Advance. :)
Dee
Have you set up the verification questions?
Admin>Configuration>Security and Moderation>Anti-Spam
If there are known forum/blog spammers ( Added to the database stopforumspam (http://www.stopforumspam.com/))
Then consider to install Modification Stop forum spam (http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=1519)
In combination with ApplianceJunk tip you prevent most spammers from registering on your clients forum
Hi
Thanks for your replies :)
I haven't started work on the set up yet, I'm doing it tonight. I had planned to add the verification question, as I'd read about it, but how does that stop human spammers? I understand how it would stop spambots but not humans?
Also is there a way to stop them posting pictures into the threads and disabling links both in threads and in signatures?
I read Stop Forum Spam has it's downsides in that it can stop geunine registrations, is this true?
Thank again
Dee
Quote from: Dee2011
I read Stop Forum Spam has it's downsides in that it can stop geunine registrations, is this true?
Yes Modification works ,We are using this mod for quite some time on our
Forum and so far all registered spammers have been blocked and permanently banned
Quote from: Dee2011 on September 24, 2011, 06:23:07 AM
Hi
Thanks for your replies :)
I haven't started work on the set up yet, I'm doing it tonight. I had planned to add the verification question, as I'd read about it, but how does that stop human spammers? I understand how it would stop spambots but not humans?
Also is there a way to stop them posting pictures into the threads and disabling links both in threads and in signatures?
I read Stop Forum Spam has it's downsides in that it can stop geunine registrations, is this true?
Thank again
Dee
The chance for a false positive will always be present, but the actual numbers are extremely low. The SFS database info is mainly compiled by spambot traps (honeypots). The chances of stopping a legitimate registrant pales in comparison to stopping thousands of spammers
A layered antispam prevention works best. The first defense should be the verification questions. If they pertain to your forum's theme or subject matter and are unique to your forum, they work best. If your forum is pertaining to a particular geographical area, then direct your questions to that area as well. This not only stops the bots, but a large number of the human spammers as well. If they do get past the questions, then a mod such as Stop Spammer and httpBL/Project honeypot will usually turn away the rest.
Thanks I'll do those.
On the chance the odd one slips through the net is there anyway to stop them posting links into posts and sigs?
I appreciate all your advise.
Dee
There is a mod available for that, but I am not sure what the link is.
You can also simply change the post count user groups to not be able to edit their profile until a set number of posts, such as 10 posts or whatever you feel comfortable with.
Hi
Will this mod also disable direct links in posts?
If someone has the link to this mod, I'd really appreciate it :)
I found it. The mod download page says that it was last updated to work for 2.0 RC5, but I parsed it for 2.0.1 and it did parse. You should be able to install it using version emulation in your package manager.
http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=2404
Hi
Thank you so much for looking for it for me :)
I need to do one final thing, but can't find how to do it, I've search the forum and online.
The client has decided they want to hold all members posts for approval until the member has 5 posts, after this time the posts do not need to be held for approval, can you advie how to do this?
First go to Admin-Configuration-Core features, and turn on Post moderation if it isn't already on.
Go to Admin-Members-membergroups and edit your post count groups so that the second level group requires 6 posts, making the first group 0 to 5 posts. Then go to admin-members-post moderation. The screen is self explanatory. change your 0 to 5 group to Can create but requires approval
Some things I did to get around being spammed. I added 3 security questions during setup. I also enabled this for the first 5 posts.
This means a person has to answer these 3 questions to register and/or post on my forum.
I have not had a spam user in a very long time.
You can also go in and change the group permissions. I would suggest reviewing them anyway. Add tiered member groups. Takes a little longer but well worth it. My registered users have very limited access. To get more they have to be added to a higher member group to open up additional options.
The disadvantage to this is it requires moderation.
You can also add a few member groups that are open invite. I have not really seen spambots that add themselves to open member groups.
All in all, I suggestion adding the security questions at the very least.
Hi Busterone :)
Thanka for the step by step :) I have enabled Post Moderation but when I go to Admin>Members>Edit Membergroups - I see a list: Newbie, Jn Member, Full Member etc , I clicked on the Modify next to the Newbie one but can't see anywhere to change the number of posts required, it's set to 0 at present. Am I doing something wrong?
Thanks rathsrants, I have added a security question :)
each postcount membergroup's top count limit is determined by the start post count of the next level group. You can either change the next level, jr member from 50 to 6 or you can create another group and edit it to start at 6. it would then be in between Newbie and jr member.
Thank you for being so helpful, this i the only area that has me confused.
The client has now said that they want all members to have their first 3 pots approved, after this they no longer require approval, so I can modify the new level down (from Newbie) Jn Member to 4 posts, would that mean that Newbie would require 3 posts?
Then would I set the others like this:
Full Member 5
Sn Member 6
Hero 7
Sorry if I'm not undertanding :)
you would only need to edit the new group to 4 posts. then you would have this-
a newbie would be 0 to 3 posts. upon their 4th post the would be automatically moved to the new group- whatever you named it.
the rest of the groups do not need to be edited at all, unless you simply want to change them yourself.
you then go to post moderation and set the newbie group for Can create but requires approval
I undertand that now, I have just changed the Jn Member to 4, and left the others as they are.
I went to Admin>Members but I don't see Post Moderation anywhere?
admin-members-permissions-post moderation
I found it now, the first think I did was Click Post Moderation and save but for some reaon it hadn't saved, I did it again and it worked.
Thank for all your help, much appreciated :)
ahh, you need to go to Admin-Configuration-Core features, and turn on Post moderation if it isn't already on.