Clever girl...

[empath]

(thread title inspired by metcarfre's response to what I've noticed)

So, you know how the "First Video:" field upon signup, while not preventing spam-bots from making accounts here, at least helped us humans in picking them out fairly quickly?

Whether it's just random 'thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters' chance, someone upgrading their captcha-bypassing scripts with a dictionary, or heaven forbid just a 'spambot operator' manually entering the info in, we've gotten a spambot that [i]actually responded with a valid video title:







So, any idea of eventually upgrading the registration to block any signup requests that don't match a (steadily growing) list of specific responses? Yeah, that's kinda moot...

Here's hope that other ideas take fruit and provide at least temporary relief from the sea of spam.

[MrParivir]

The spambots are evolving?

[King Kool]

Dealing with spam on the wiki, I always wondered if they were actually humans. They might just be getting the solution to that one field and saying "Hey, put that in, automate the rest." or "Just fill out any field."

The CAPTCHA that we're currently using to stop spam on the wiki is working wonderfully. Maybe that one could be implemented. Or something.

[Elomin Sha]

Or introduce a payment system where you have to sign up with a credit card of $1. Then, you have details to use against them.

[Lord Hosk]

I think just the payment system itself would stop spammers. They whole point is that they can make a penny by throwing ads for on 1000 forums/wikis and repeat 10,000,000 times essentially for free and they have made $10.

Not that I think it should be implemented.

[King Kool]

In theory, it could be a "pay the buck and we'll give it back later" idea so no money is lost except for possibly state taxes and all of the money when I run off with it in a giant boat made of money.

[CSt]

Just as a small objection:
I don't have a credit card. Not because I wouldn't get one if I wanted to, but because they are not that widely used around here. That system would not only keep out spammers, but real people.

[Master Gunner]

Yeah, the spam problem is nowhere near bad enough to warrant requiring a credit card authorization on registration.

[Graham]

Yeah, don't worry. CC authorization absolutely isn't...

(•_•)
( •_•)>⌐■-■
(⌐■_■)

...in the cards.

[Geoff_B]

YEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Moshi]

+1.... that was perfect

[Lord Hosk]

Yeah, don't worry. CC authorization absolutely isn't...

(•_•)
( •_•)>⌐■-■
(⌐■_■)

...in the cards.

You win the Internets Graham.

[Drdiggit42]

Another spam bot used The Truce as it's first video.

[Keab42]

I guess somebody filled out the data once...

[empath]

*looks a Graham*

Wow, this thread turned out 200% more awesome than I expected!


And as admirable as the CC auth would be, it WOULD put a crimp in the members; I, myself, have PLENTY of credit cards...all of which are maxxed out.

[ElementalAlchemist]

I guess somebody filled out the data once...

Sometimes spambots are spamhumans who are paid to be robots. Which is really frustrating.

[TheRocket]

(•_•)
( •_•)>⌐■-■
(⌐■_■)

..... =O


...............=O

[Elomin Sha]

I just want to give LRR more of my money.

[Smeghead]

Now the spambots aren't even making any sense

[Dibria]

Yeah, don't worry. CC authorization absolutely isn't...

(•_•)
( •_•)>⌐■-■
(⌐■_■)

...in the cards.

...Not sure whether to applaud you or punch you through the internets for that pun.

[CyberTractor]

A good way I use to prevent bots is embed a hidden javascript field that activates forwards to the Folding at Home online program indefinitely. A bot skimming the site will find the button and usually click it in an effort to advertise, and instead lend their processing power to charity.

I wrote it a few years back, but I'm sure it can't be terribly hard to do something similar or find some way to trick non-humans into doing something beneficially detrimental.

[Smeghead]

ok now this is just getting silly. The whole first page on the general forum was nothing but spam. And it doesn't seem like any other catagory is spared either. Something needs to be done

[Utilitarian]

They're multipling faster than they can be removed!

Oh god... it's a Selesnya spam bot with Doubling Season!

[Evil Jim]

It's calmed down a little but I'm still reporting the threads as fast as I see them.

The CC signup is an interesting idea, but how about make it a donation of any size to Child's Play? Keep Desert Bus going throughout the year, in a sense.

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

^Would be efficient at keeping bots away but would introduce a sense of elitism to the forums. Regardless of where the money goes it, it is still an admin fee to use the forums.

In Wales plastic carrier bags are 5p. The money goes to charity. But at the end of the day you are still paying 5p for a bag. Besides it would bar people who want to join the forums who cannot transact money over the internet from joining. I would offer an alternative idea if I could, but I can't. So therefore my post will remain as an idea murderer.