Spam issue

[Todd]

The foreign spambots are now using AI to get past the "registration question" I have, which used to be too tough for them.

They are easy to spot, so one potential solution is simply requiring validation before a new user can post.

The downside is that real users will have to wait before they post, and many people don't want to do that. New users with an interest in this site like to just register and participate right away.

With that said, we are a small group, and don't get that many new users which aren't bots.

What do you guys think?

[Mr. Mike]

I think you should make the place a closed system, with no new users at all. How many new legit users have there been in the last six months or year? There seem to be only about a dozen (if that many) who are posting at all...

[Bobbi]

I agree with Mr. Mike - make it closed.

I don't know what else is connected to the forum but if you needed someone to approve people (as few as they may be) I'm willing to help out. I tend to check the Forum once a day anyway. It wouldn't be a big deal for me.

Just an idea.

[Todd]

Thanks for your feedback.

I definitely won't make it fully closed. At worst, I can put it on "moderate new user" mode, which requires me to manually approve each user before they can post.

As I mentioned, it is fairly obvious to me who is real and who is a spammer.

I will see if I can get the spam under control via some security modifications. If not, I will move to moderate new user mode.

[honu59]

Thanks for addressing this issue, Todd. I don't post that much, but I do read the site every day and the spam has been annoying.

[ringfire211]

Yeah if you don’t want to make it a closed system then you can do it like it was done here earlier (if I remember correctly) - where you make a post and then you have to wait until the moderator checks it and posts it.

[Todd]

Yeah if you don’t want to make it a closed system then you can do it like it was done here earlier (if I remember correctly) - where you make a post and then you have to wait until the moderator checks it and posts it.

No, this has always been completely open, once people e-mail verify.

I am not going to moderate posts.

I am only going to moderate new users, where they can't post at all until I look at the account.

However, I am not implementing it just yet. I'll see if I can find a way to stop the spam in another way.

[John Chergi]

It would be great for a new user to list their Top 10 FAV Classic HFO 🌊 Episodes. It would be a good introduction to the Classic HFO 🌊 Forum and immediate start for discussion. Always interesting to see a forum users FAV episodes. I find myself intrigued why a person has an episode higher or lower than my 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐ here or my own 6 Star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ system. As with many excellent 70's crime dramas, there just are episodes that are exemplary. I would surmise most of our regular forum posters would have Hookman, The V for Vashon Trilogy, Draw Me A Killer, Highest Castle, Deepest Grave, Engaged To Be Buried etc in their Top 10 or Top 20 episodes. There's a strong core here of 12-20 forum Classic HFO 🌊 fans who post and present good material. Bobbi's 50th Anniversary Episodes are a highlight. I find myself thinking about the episode or watching it again. It will be interesting as we move into Season 8 and Season 9 where there might be more discussion. I strongly believe Season 8 and Season 9 were very strong seasons. It appears some of the weaker episodes begin in Season 10 for whatever reason. No doubt Season 12 was Classic HFO 🌊 weakest season but I'm glad they created the episodes. I noticed Barnaby Jones, Hawaii Five-O and The Rockford Files ended in 1980. It would begin a transition into the new 80's crime fighters and PI's like Magnum PI and Simon & Simon. Cannon, Kojak, Mannix, Police Story, Streets Of SF all ended their main runs in the 1970's. JC

[Todd]

UPDATE:

I have put in a global spam checker, where the software goes and checks a huge spammer database (both IP addresses and emails), and refuses registration if either matches.

This was a custom addition by me, and not a standard part of the forum software. Hopefully this helps.

I've decided not to moderate new users yet, and will see if the above change stops the problem.

I also put in a filter for a lot of IPs, especially Amazon AWS. If you find yourself banned on certain devices, please let me know by either DMing me, posting in this thread, or texting me at (775) 372-8355. Thanks.