Simple Machines Community Forum

Customizing SMF => Building Your Community and other Forum Advice => Topic started by: skb on July 15, 2020, 02:49:47 AM

Title: What could be the worst a new member could do ?
Post by: skb on July 15, 2020, 02:49:47 AM
We are over 3 years old and struggling for genuine memberships. In an effort to have a larger roll call, I've made joining the forum as easy as can be, i.e. lowest requirements of SMF settings.

At the same time there is a concern that if the wrong type of member gets in, he/she could cause us unmanageable harm. We do get spammers but the 'Moderator Approval until minimum legit post count' settings can keep them at bay.

My question is if anyone intending harm gets a membership at the lowest Newbie level with minimum permissions, is there still anyway that he/she could do some harm to the forum. 
Title: Re: What could be the worst a new member could do ?
Post by: Doug Heffernan on July 15, 2020, 10:11:59 AM
Quote from: skb on July 15, 2020, 02:49:47 AM
We are over 3 years old and struggling for genuine memberships. In an effort to have a larger roll call, I've made joining the forum as easy as can be, i.e. lowest requirements of SMF settings.

At the same time there is a concern that if the wrong type of member gets in, he/she could cause us unmanageable harm. We do get spammers but the 'Moderator Approval until minimum legit post count' settings can keep them at bay.

My question is if anyone intending harm gets a membership at the lowest Newbie level with minimum permissions, is there still anyway that he/she could do some harm to the forum.

Besides spamming and posting insults, there is nothing else that members can do to harm your forum if you will.

That being said, if someone has the knowledge and really wants to harm your forum, they can, regardless if they are registered members or not.
Title: Re: What could be the worst a new member could do ?
Post by: skb on July 16, 2020, 04:42:26 AM
OK. Thanks for your reply Doug. That relaxes me a lot.