We need to deal with the spamming issue.

[liszt-and-the-galops]

This morning, pianostreet was attacked by 3 spammers. I ended up staying awake until all hours to report, and later document, the spam posts. One of them posted in excess of 30 times within his first hour of joining. In total, nearly 50 spam posts were made in the span of about 3 hours. Attached are the profiles of the spammers with post count, time joined, and time last active (when they stopped spamming). The post times are attached to various posts on the "reporting spam - time factor" thread, which is linked below: https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=70436.msg733064;topicseen#msg733064

We need to find a way to stop future spamming before it starts. At this point, I think most of us are okay with just about any solution that is functional.

To any advertisers and/or spammers: pianostreet does not allow unpaid advertising or spamming. Go somewhere else.

Liszt

[perfect_pitch]

To any advertisers and/or spammers: pianostreet does not allow unpaid advertising or spamming. Go somewhere else.

Now that you've warned them - I'm sure they'll stop...

(sorry, had to)

...but in all seriousness - I do agree with you. I have always said that maybe there should be a 24 or 48 hour delay between registering and then being able to post. I find MOST of the people who spam do it within 10 or even just 5 minutes of registering.

Also, they're getting craftier - they're putting what looks like legitimate responses to thread, then putting links in very tiny writing or even hiding them inside someone else's quote so it doesn't show the hyperlink in their posts page. I do catch most of the ones I see because I look for anyone with a single-digit post count and scour their messages.

I genuinely think it will prevent people from posting because if they realise they can't post straight away - it means that they'll actively have to come back to this page in 2 days time to post. Chances are they'll have moved onto another bunch of websites to spam, and may forget their registration at Pianostreet.

[liszt-and-the-galops]

...but in all seriousness - I do agree with you. I have always said that maybe there should be a 24 or 48 hour delay between registering and then being able to post. I find MOST of the people who spam do it within 10 or even just 5 minutes of registering.

This seems to be true, but does result in a worse experience for new people. Perhaps it could be adjusted...

Also, they're getting craftier - they're putting what looks like legitimate responses to thread, then putting links in very tiny writing or even hiding them inside someone else's quote so it doesn't show the hyperlink in their posts page. I do catch most of the ones I see because I look for anyone with a single-digit post count and scour their messages.

Huh. Haven't seen anyone do that yet.

Also, I think it's worth noting that the batch of spammers that came here in the morning all seemed to be advertising some sort of Western diploma for Chinese people? At least, that's what my browser's translater thought. The posts were entirely in Chinese.

I'm personally in favor creating a system where you have to post on other threads 5 times before you can make a topic, with a total ban on posting for the first, say, 3 hours after registration. That doesn't seem too harsh on new members. Plus, you could even remove those restrictions for the gold membership option. It might even earn PS some extra revenue. Then again, that might be a lot to code. I don't know much about web design, unfortunately.

[perfect_pitch]

I'm personally in favor creating a system where you have to post on other threads 5 times before you can make a topic, with a total ban on posting for the first, say, 3 hours after registration.

No offense, but if it's short enough that they can register and come back in the same day after the delay in posting is expired... then it's not going to really hold them back.

You want them almost to register - get pissed off that they can't post right away, go on other boards and piss their members off, go to sleep, wake up and almost forget that they registered here they day before.

I'm sure if there are genuine members - a message saying that the ability to post has been delayed for 24-48 hours to minimise spam. This will really stick it to those who just register, and 3 minutes later post their sh*t before *** off.