topic Re: A question about Mod reported Spam in Community Site Feedback

A question about Mod reported Spam

Anonymous — Thu, 18 May 2017 09:49:35 GMT

When a message is reported as spam by a user is the post in question still visible to other users until such times as it is dealt with or is it (as I think it should be) hidden?

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

jab1 — Thu, 18 May 2017 09:54:44 GMT

Looking at the latest one - it appears it remains visible until actioned by a mod.

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

Anonymous — Thu, 18 May 2017 10:33:45 GMT

Mmm, this is not good.

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

HarryB — Thu, 18 May 2017 12:26:15 GMT

While I see the benefits of it working the way you thought it should, it would also open it up to abuse if people started flagging legitimate posts as spam just to make the disappear while awaiting moderation

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

jab1 — Thu, 18 May 2017 12:34:14 GMT

Understand what you are saying, @HarryB , and I tend to agree with you. Most spam posts I have seen/reported get binned fairly quickly, and we really don't need to increase the workload on the mods - after all they do a very good job for nothing, for which I for one am grateful.

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

HarryB — Thu, 18 May 2017 12:52:27 GMT

@jab1 wrote:

Most spam posts I have seen/reported get binned fairly quickly, and we really don't need to increase the workload on the mods - after all they do a very good job for nothing, for which I for one am grateful.

We do have some great moderators

@Strat @dvorak @Mav

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

Strat — Thu, 18 May 2017 12:53:15 GMT

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

Anonymous — Thu, 18 May 2017 13:09:45 GMT

That's a fair point @HarryB, and makes sense, of course if it did work the other way then the moderators would soon put a stop to the abuse I'm sure of that.

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

Mav — Thu, 18 May 2017 18:24:57 GMT

A lot of spam seems to be posted in the early hours when most members are tucked up in bed or busy for the morning rush including us mods hence they often don't get seen till later. Occasionally, due to insomnia, I am around at silly 'o' clock but not always.

Nevertheless we do try to jump on them and get them removed pronto.

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

jab1 — Thu, 18 May 2017 18:35:23 GMT

@Mav -totally understand what you are saying (including the insomnia, as I suffer,too), and it obvious these lowlifes will target periods when they THINK they can get away with it.

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

Townman — Wed, 31 May 2017 15:15:37 GMT

There is though another angle on this ... if reported posts don't get visibly marked (or hidden) the mods could end up being 'spammed' with reports. I've discussed this with @jaread83 in another setting so see if it is really an issue and if it is what simple remedies might be applied .... short of enforced joining of forum ids to user accounts.

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

Strat — Wed, 31 May 2017 21:22:08 GMT

@Townman wrote:

if reported posts don't get visibly marked (or hidden) the mods could end up being 'spammed' with reports.

We do but prefer it to the infringement not going reported.

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

Mav — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 01:46:37 GMT

I agree with @Strat. Plenty of reports yesterday but if no-one bothered to report them then it can only get worse. So thanks for all the reports.

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

jaread83 — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 08:28:27 GMT

I will be looking into adding something to the report form that would tell the user that the post has already been reported. Just need to figure out how to cross reference with posts and the reported post. This is way down on my list at the moment though as I have other things to look at that are in the development cycle.

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 09:10:17 GMT

That would be really useful @jaread83 and save the mods wading through piles of unnecessary messages and it has the advantage of letting the spammer know that we're on to them should they care to look

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

Townman — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 09:30:45 GMT

@Anonymous - the concept would not indicate a post had been reported, unless one sought to report it (again).

@Mav & @Strat - does the number of reports on non-spam posts influence the thought process over if a post needs moderation?

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 09:50:46 GMT

@Townman - Which is why I said "should they care to look". You can look at reporting a post without actually reporting it.

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

jaread83 — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 10:24:29 GMT

Hopefully it will lessen the amount of repeated reports but at the same time, possibly not. A lot of users ignore my 'this is an old thread' warning on topics with the last reply being over 120 days old... we shall see

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

Mav — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 15:57:54 GMT

On a good day we're able to identify and remove spammers before they even make their first post.

As @jaread83 mentioned this recent PM spamming was borne out of a Lithium issue with the ranking system so, hopefully, once fixed, such spamming will be reduced to zero once more.

Re: A question about Mod reported Spam

dvorak — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 16:55:43 GMT

@Townman wrote:

@Mav & @Strat - does the number of reports on non-spam posts influence the thought process over if a post needs moderation?

Nope, every report is read, potentially discussed and action taken if deemed necessary