Please flag the spam !
Replies
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HappyCampr1 wrote: »I'm always amazed that 14 people will click on a post that has gibberish in the title and not one of them click the spam button. What are they looking at?
Me too! Obvious spam with 17 views and 2 flags.0 -
Glinda1971 wrote: »sugaraddict4321 wrote: »Here are some lurkers I found while trying to search for legit skin care tips. There are still plenty more out there...
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1463944/skin-care-post
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1465602/skin-care-vitamin-c-serum
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1304331/skin-care-tipps
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1341891/skin-care
@Adam2k10 @_ben @davis_em @kgeyser @ninerbuff @psulemon when one of you logs on could you maybe do a quick search for "skin care" and zap some of these lurkers so we can get more relevant search results?
I got a couple of those and removed them in the quote. Most still need one.
I got 7!! Very satisfying0 -
sugaraddict4321 wrote: »Here are some lurkers I found while trying to search for legit skin care tips. There are still plenty more out there:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1385535/skin-care-and-cosmetic-products
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10186571/you-have-to-guide-skin-care-review-the-natural
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1465713/skin-care-general
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1420206/skin-care-some-parts-of-my-body
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1463580/skin-care-78
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1423696/skin-care-vitamin-c-serum
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1465500/skin-care-jkd
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1416017/skin-care-lotion-brands
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1420256/skin-care-vitamin-c-serum
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1463944/skin-care-post
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1465602/skin-care-vitamin-c-serum
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1304331/skin-care-tipps
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1341891/skin-care
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1333935/skin-care
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10069170/jivam-skin-care
@Adam2k10 @_ben @davis_em @kgeyser @ninerbuff @psulemon when one of you logs on could you maybe do a quick search for "skin care" and zap some of these lurkers so we can get more relevant search results?
I just did one for the last 6 months and found 10, I can do a more extensive search later on when I have more time. I know it's frustrating to have this stuff come up in searches, I spent a few days at the beginning of June wiping the existence of babaji from our boards as much as possible.0 -
sugaraddict4321 wrote: »MFP is a bit of an odd choice for skin care research though, wouldn't you say? I did flag them all - second link should be gone
Thanks for the flags. I was hoping for some tips on what changes people have noticed with their skin as they've lost weight and how they deal with those changes. If they've had to change cleansing products, stop eating certain trigger foods, wear different fabric types, etc.
Our skin is the largest organ of our bodies, and what we eat and do for physical activities can have a big effect on it. Right now even though I'm going through a phase where it seems nothing is working, so I thought folks might have tips. Unfortunately the vast majority of the results coming up in search are just spam...so either there are loads of spammers, or not many people talk about their skin changes.
@sugaraddict4321 Oh most definitely make a thread on the forums and they WILL come!!
I've seen this discussed over the years and the threads were engaging and ppl had lots to share. I too was fascinated by this as you're correct our skin is the largest organ so every thing we do really does effect it. 0 -
Thanks, kgeyser - I gave up after about 5 pages of results. Thanks, Hearts. I might do that! 0
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Lourdesong wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »"Please flag the spam"
No. Increase your filters. I hope the boards get so bad and overrun with spam the admins are forced to do something about it instead of just talking about doing something about it and relying on us to keep their house uncluttered for them.
I'd just like to point out that this is a member created post that has served a lot of good in the community, not a staff or mod request.
With regards to the filters, they are being changed regularly to get the best results.
The moderator team regularly check this post but we are volunteers and there are a great number of other things that we need to do on a daily basis in order to keep things running smoothly within the community.
Just because we don't always post in here doesn't mean we're not checking and removing spam.
If you just stop flagging spam, it's not gonna make it all just go away.. If there was a magic solution that worked as well as we'd like it to it would have been done by now but as it stands we all have to do our bit to make this community into the place we want it to be.
Hopefully sometime in the near future the staff team will find a good way to block the majority of it out, I know for a fact that comments and suggestions are taken on board and discussed within the staff meetings.
Now, whether you flag spam or not is your choice but we really do appreciate the efforts of all that do!
I know it can feel like a thankless task sometimes but believe me, we are so greatful for everyone that does it!
Have an awesome Friday everyone, weekend is almost upon us!
With respect,
Adam, MyFitnessPal Moderator
The update happened back in October, and I've seen no improvement in respect to getting a better handle on the boards being flooded with spam regularly like clockwork.
My comment wasn't directed at volunteers, it was directed to Admins who have it within their capacity to fix this problem themselves, and who evidently are not.
Although it may not seem so, there has been a great deal done in an effort to reduce spam.
This thread serves a great purpose and the people flagging and helping to remove spam on a daily basis are doing a lot of good.
Please keep this thread on topic and helpful.
If you choose not to help with flagging spam then so be it, nobody has the obligation to but coming in here and derailing this thread is an insult to those that do put time into keeping this community spam free.
If you choose not to help or contribute in a constructive way to the topic, simply move on from this thread and don't post within it.
Have an awesome weekend everyone!
Adam, MyFitnessPal Moderator
Hmm, well I guess I failed to see how it was a derail, and frankly I still fail to see it. I also fail to see how my observations have insulted or disrespected anyone. But I will concede that my post was made in frustration regarding the spam, for the reasons I've already outlined.
And as you wish, I won't post in this thread again.
You too have an awesome weekend.
I believe a discussion on the validity of this tactic is absolutely on topic and not a derailment. In response to the OP:
OP and all contributors to this thread - the more you assist with this process, the less impetus there is on the admin team to find a more effective and permanent solution. I have been on countless internet forums and have experienced varying levels of spam filters. I know solutions exist because I've been on much larger forums with much larger user groups and much, much less spam.
I implore you: STOP FLAGGING THE SPAM! Until you do, the problem will continue.
ETA: This thread was created over 9 months ago. Despite all your efforts at flagging, has the problem gotten any better? Maybe it's time to re-examine the strategy.1 -
<snip snip snippity snip>tincanonastring wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »"Please flag the spam"
.
I'd just like to point out that this is a member created post that has served a lot of good in the community, not a staff or mod request.
With regards to the filters, they are being changed regularly to get the best results.
The moderator team regularly check this post but we are volunteers and there are a great number of other things that we need to do on a daily basis in order to keep things running smoothly within the community.
Just because we don't always post in here doesn't mean we're not checking and removing spam.
If you just stop flagging spam, it's not gonna make it all just go away.. If there was a magic solution that worked as well as we'd like it to it would have been done by now but as it stands we all have to do our bit to make this community into the place we want it to be.
Hopefully sometime in the near future the staff team will find a good way to block the majority of it out, I know for a fact that comments and suggestions are taken on board and discussed within the staff meetings.
Now, whether you flag spam or not is your choice but we really do appreciate the efforts of all that do!
I know it can feel like a thankless task sometimes but believe me, we are so grateful for everyone that does it!
Have an awesome Friday everyone, weekend is almost upon us!
With respect,
Adam, MyFitnessPal Moderator
This thread serves a great purpose and the people flagging and helping to remove spam on a daily basis are doing a lot of good.
Please keep this thread on topic and helpful.
If you choose not to help with flagging spam then so be it, nobody has the obligation to but coming in here and derailing this thread is an insult to those that do put time into keeping this community spam free.
If you choose not to help or contribute in a constructive way to the topic, simply move on from this thread and don't post within it.
Have an awesome weekend everyone!
Adam, MyFitnessPal Moderator
I implore you: FLAG THE SPAM! Until you do, the problem will continue.
.
I don't see how not trying to get rid of the spammers is going to make it worse. If we stop flagging them, THEN it will become a real nightmare.
We all have our thoughts on this but never did I ever think I'd see squabbling on the forums about flagging spammers. I plan to continue flagging when I see issues because I feel good about helping other members not wake up to pages of spam. I appreciate all of you that continue to help out, it is making a difference when we flag it.
I agree with Adam if someone wants to jump in and get flag happy when the spamming starts, go for it! But for those coming on this thread and sending the opposite message...it seems quite unproductive & harsh to tell members that are trying to help out to stop cleaning up the forums.
This is my last on this topic...posting anything but spam links is distracting for those trying to help at night.
Cheers for a fabulous Weekend
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tincanonastring wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »"Please flag the spam"
No. Increase your filters. I hope the boards get so bad and overrun with spam the admins are forced to do something about it instead of just talking about doing something about it and relying on us to keep their house uncluttered for them.
I'd just like to point out that this is a member created post that has served a lot of good in the community, not a staff or mod request.
With regards to the filters, they are being changed regularly to get the best results.
The moderator team regularly check this post but we are volunteers and there are a great number of other things that we need to do on a daily basis in order to keep things running smoothly within the community.
Just because we don't always post in here doesn't mean we're not checking and removing spam.
If you just stop flagging spam, it's not gonna make it all just go away.. If there was a magic solution that worked as well as we'd like it to it would have been done by now but as it stands we all have to do our bit to make this community into the place we want it to be.
Hopefully sometime in the near future the staff team will find a good way to block the majority of it out, I know for a fact that comments and suggestions are taken on board and discussed within the staff meetings.
Now, whether you flag spam or not is your choice but we really do appreciate the efforts of all that do!
I know it can feel like a thankless task sometimes but believe me, we are so greatful for everyone that does it!
Have an awesome Friday everyone, weekend is almost upon us!
With respect,
Adam, MyFitnessPal Moderator
The update happened back in October, and I've seen no improvement in respect to getting a better handle on the boards being flooded with spam regularly like clockwork.
My comment wasn't directed at volunteers, it was directed to Admins who have it within their capacity to fix this problem themselves, and who evidently are not.
Although it may not seem so, there has been a great deal done in an effort to reduce spam.
This thread serves a great purpose and the people flagging and helping to remove spam on a daily basis are doing a lot of good.
Please keep this thread on topic and helpful.
If you choose not to help with flagging spam then so be it, nobody has the obligation to but coming in here and derailing this thread is an insult to those that do put time into keeping this community spam free.
If you choose not to help or contribute in a constructive way to the topic, simply move on from this thread and don't post within it.
Have an awesome weekend everyone!
Adam, MyFitnessPal Moderator
Hmm, well I guess I failed to see how it was a derail, and frankly I still fail to see it. I also fail to see how my observations have insulted or disrespected anyone. But I will concede that my post was made in frustration regarding the spam, for the reasons I've already outlined.
And as you wish, I won't post in this thread again.
You too have an awesome weekend.
I believe a discussion on the validity of this tactic is absolutely on topic and not a derailment. In response to the OP:
OP and all contributors to this thread - the more you assist with this process, the less impetus there is on the admin team to find a more effective and permanent solution. I have been on countless internet forums and have experienced varying levels of spam filters. I know solutions exist because I've been on much larger forums with much larger user groups and much, much less spam.
I implore you: STOP FLAGGING THE SPAM! Until you do, the problem will continue.
ETA: This thread was created over 9 months ago. Despite all your efforts at flagging, has the problem gotten any better? Maybe it's time to re-examine the strategy.
^The above is incorrect. The admin team has been working hard with the developers to identify potential solutions to block the spammers from accessing the site. We also track spam activity to identify times when traffic is high, and the moderators (who are ALL volunteers, btw), have been working to try to be available to remove spammers during high traffic. I myself have logged in between the hours of 2 am - 6 am on multiple occasions to check in, despite that being the middle of the night when I should be sleeping. You can actually find comments from me on this discussion with those timestamps.
Moderators check the spam filter as soon as they log in, and those of us who are here in the mornings also review the forums for spam discussions which may not have enough flags to go to the filter.
The spam flag feature is not meant to replace admin or mod responsibility for the spam; rather, it empowers the users in this community to remove the posts from view so they do not overwhelm the discussion boards at times where a moderator may not be available. Before the switch to the new forums, the entire first page of discussions in each forum was spam, and users were unable to find real discussions. While we are still experiencing spam, the overall experience for the community has vastly improved. Most of the spam we are currently encountering is one-off spam, in which an account posts only once. Those instances far outnumber the "mad spammers" who post multiple discussions from one account.
I mentioned above that I had spent some time going through the forums to remove old babaji posts from before the switchover to the new forums - the posts I removed were from Feb 2014 - October 2014. During that time, I removed hundreds of users and thousands of posts. I can't remember who was the record holder, but I do remember that at least one user had created 481 spam discussions. So while the current spam issues are frustrating, they pale in comparison to what the mods were up against before the migration.
If people would personally prefer not to flag the spam, they are under no obligation to do so, however it's not going to make the process to fix the situation move any faster. And the bonus for the mod team is that we'll be able to identify users who are abusing the Spam flag feature more readily, as the only use for the Spam flag is for bot-style spam and any other use is a warnable violation.
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HappyCampr1 wrote: »I'm always amazed that 14 people will click on a post that has gibberish in the title and not one of them click the spam button. What are they looking at?
@HappyCampr1 Hopefully they're not writing all the info from the post down and calling for a love connection.0 -
tincanonastring wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »"Please flag the spam"
No. Increase your filters. I hope the boards get so bad and overrun with spam the admins are forced to do something about it instead of just talking about doing something about it and relying on us to keep their house uncluttered for them.
I'd just like to point out that this is a member created post that has served a lot of good in the community, not a staff or mod request.
With regards to the filters, they are being changed regularly to get the best results.
The moderator team regularly check this post but we are volunteers and there are a great number of other things that we need to do on a daily basis in order to keep things running smoothly within the community.
Just because we don't always post in here doesn't mean we're not checking and removing spam.
If you just stop flagging spam, it's not gonna make it all just go away.. If there was a magic solution that worked as well as we'd like it to it would have been done by now but as it stands we all have to do our bit to make this community into the place we want it to be.
Hopefully sometime in the near future the staff team will find a good way to block the majority of it out, I know for a fact that comments and suggestions are taken on board and discussed within the staff meetings.
Now, whether you flag spam or not is your choice but we really do appreciate the efforts of all that do!
I know it can feel like a thankless task sometimes but believe me, we are so greatful for everyone that does it!
Have an awesome Friday everyone, weekend is almost upon us!
With respect,
Adam, MyFitnessPal Moderator
The update happened back in October, and I've seen no improvement in respect to getting a better handle on the boards being flooded with spam regularly like clockwork.
My comment wasn't directed at volunteers, it was directed to Admins who have it within their capacity to fix this problem themselves, and who evidently are not.
Although it may not seem so, there has been a great deal done in an effort to reduce spam.
This thread serves a great purpose and the people flagging and helping to remove spam on a daily basis are doing a lot of good.
Please keep this thread on topic and helpful.
If you choose not to help with flagging spam then so be it, nobody has the obligation to but coming in here and derailing this thread is an insult to those that do put time into keeping this community spam free.
If you choose not to help or contribute in a constructive way to the topic, simply move on from this thread and don't post within it.
Have an awesome weekend everyone!
Adam, MyFitnessPal Moderator
Hmm, well I guess I failed to see how it was a derail, and frankly I still fail to see it. I also fail to see how my observations have insulted or disrespected anyone. But I will concede that my post was made in frustration regarding the spam, for the reasons I've already outlined.
And as you wish, I won't post in this thread again.
You too have an awesome weekend.
I believe a discussion on the validity of this tactic is absolutely on topic and not a derailment. In response to the OP:
OP and all contributors to this thread - the more you assist with this process, the less impetus there is on the admin team to find a more effective and permanent solution. I have been on countless internet forums and have experienced varying levels of spam filters. I know solutions exist because I've been on much larger forums with much larger user groups and much, much less spam.
I implore you: STOP FLAGGING THE SPAM! Until you do, the problem will continue.
ETA: This thread was created over 9 months ago. Despite all your efforts at flagging, has the problem gotten any better? Maybe it's time to re-examine the strategy.
^The above is incorrect. The admin team has been working hard with the developers to identify potential solutions to block the spammers from accessing the site. We also track spam activity to identify times when traffic is high, and the moderators (who are ALL volunteers, btw), have been working to try to be available to remove spammers during high traffic. I myself have logged in between the hours of 2 am - 6 am on multiple occasions to check in, despite that being the middle of the night when I should be sleeping. You can actually find comments from me on this discussion with those timestamps.
Moderators check the spam filter as soon as they log in, and those of us who are here in the mornings also review the forums for spam discussions which may not have enough flags to go to the filter.
The spam flag feature is not meant to replace admin or mod responsibility for the spam; rather, it empowers the users in this community to remove the posts from view so they do not overwhelm the discussion boards at times where a moderator may not be available. Before the switch to the new forums, the entire first page of discussions in each forum was spam, and users were unable to find real discussions. While we are still experiencing spam, the overall experience for the community has vastly improved. Most of the spam we are currently encountering is one-off spam, in which an account posts only once. Those instances far outnumber the "mad spammers" who post multiple discussions from one account.
I mentioned above that I had spent some time going through the forums to remove old babaji posts from before the switchover to the new forums - the posts I removed were from Feb 2014 - October 2014. During that time, I removed hundreds of users and thousands of posts. I can't remember who was the record holder, but I do remember that at least one user had created 481 spam discussions. So while the current spam issues are frustrating, they pale in comparison to what the mods were up against before the migration.
If people would personally prefer not to flag the spam, they are under no obligation to do so, however it's not going to make the process to fix the situation move any faster. And the bonus for the mod team is that we'll be able to identify users who are abusing the Spam flag feature more readily, as the only use for the Spam flag is for bot-style spam and any other use is a warnable violation.
None of what you have said indicates that what I've posted is false. You and the mod team and all the members helping are cutting back spam by removing it when it appears, but that doesn't mean there actually been an improvement in the actual number of spam posts.
My point about not flagging is that this would become a much higher priority if you didn't have the members coordinating flagging efforts here. The efforts from the time this thread started to now do not appear to have affected the ability of spammers, whether they were 400 posts from one account or one post from 400 accounts.
I guess I'd have to ask, has the actual number of spam posts decreased in that time and, if so, is that decrease traceable to MFP's efforts?0 -
I'm rather disgusted by a for-profit business asking its customers to generate profit on their own personal time.1
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tincanonastring wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »"Please flag the spam"
No. Increase your filters. I hope the boards get so bad and overrun with spam the admins are forced to do something about it instead of just talking about doing something about it and relying on us to keep their house uncluttered for them.
I'd just like to point out that this is a member created post that has served a lot of good in the community, not a staff or mod request.
With regards to the filters, they are being changed regularly to get the best results.
The moderator team regularly check this post but we are volunteers and there are a great number of other things that we need to do on a daily basis in order to keep things running smoothly within the community.
Just because we don't always post in here doesn't mean we're not checking and removing spam.
If you just stop flagging spam, it's not gonna make it all just go away.. If there was a magic solution that worked as well as we'd like it to it would have been done by now but as it stands we all have to do our bit to make this community into the place we want it to be.
Hopefully sometime in the near future the staff team will find a good way to block the majority of it out, I know for a fact that comments and suggestions are taken on board and discussed within the staff meetings.
Now, whether you flag spam or not is your choice but we really do appreciate the efforts of all that do!
I know it can feel like a thankless task sometimes but believe me, we are so greatful for everyone that does it!
Have an awesome Friday everyone, weekend is almost upon us!
With respect,
Adam, MyFitnessPal Moderator
The update happened back in October, and I've seen no improvement in respect to getting a better handle on the boards being flooded with spam regularly like clockwork.
My comment wasn't directed at volunteers, it was directed to Admins who have it within their capacity to fix this problem themselves, and who evidently are not.
Although it may not seem so, there has been a great deal done in an effort to reduce spam.
This thread serves a great purpose and the people flagging and helping to remove spam on a daily basis are doing a lot of good.
Please keep this thread on topic and helpful.
If you choose not to help with flagging spam then so be it, nobody has the obligation to but coming in here and derailing this thread is an insult to those that do put time into keeping this community spam free.
If you choose not to help or contribute in a constructive way to the topic, simply move on from this thread and don't post within it.
Have an awesome weekend everyone!
Adam, MyFitnessPal Moderator
Hmm, well I guess I failed to see how it was a derail, and frankly I still fail to see it. I also fail to see how my observations have insulted or disrespected anyone. But I will concede that my post was made in frustration regarding the spam, for the reasons I've already outlined.
And as you wish, I won't post in this thread again.
You too have an awesome weekend.
I believe a discussion on the validity of this tactic is absolutely on topic and not a derailment. In response to the OP:
OP and all contributors to this thread - the more you assist with this process, the less impetus there is on the admin team to find a more effective and permanent solution. I have been on countless internet forums and have experienced varying levels of spam filters. I know solutions exist because I've been on much larger forums with much larger user groups and much, much less spam.
I implore you: STOP FLAGGING THE SPAM! Until you do, the problem will continue.
ETA: This thread was created over 9 months ago. Despite all your efforts at flagging, has the problem gotten any better? Maybe it's time to re-examine the strategy.
Agreed.
Good luck flaggers. Have a nice weekend! 0 -
tincanonastring wrote: »tincanonastring wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »"Please flag the spam"
No. Increase your filters. I hope the boards get so bad and overrun with spam the admins are forced to do something about it instead of just talking about doing something about it and relying on us to keep their house uncluttered for them.
I'd just like to point out that this is a member created post that has served a lot of good in the community, not a staff or mod request.
With regards to the filters, they are being changed regularly to get the best results.
The moderator team regularly check this post but we are volunteers and there are a great number of other things that we need to do on a daily basis in order to keep things running smoothly within the community.
Just because we don't always post in here doesn't mean we're not checking and removing spam.
If you just stop flagging spam, it's not gonna make it all just go away.. If there was a magic solution that worked as well as we'd like it to it would have been done by now but as it stands we all have to do our bit to make this community into the place we want it to be.
Hopefully sometime in the near future the staff team will find a good way to block the majority of it out, I know for a fact that comments and suggestions are taken on board and discussed within the staff meetings.
Now, whether you flag spam or not is your choice but we really do appreciate the efforts of all that do!
I know it can feel like a thankless task sometimes but believe me, we are so greatful for everyone that does it!
Have an awesome Friday everyone, weekend is almost upon us!
With respect,
Adam, MyFitnessPal Moderator
The update happened back in October, and I've seen no improvement in respect to getting a better handle on the boards being flooded with spam regularly like clockwork.
My comment wasn't directed at volunteers, it was directed to Admins who have it within their capacity to fix this problem themselves, and who evidently are not.
Although it may not seem so, there has been a great deal done in an effort to reduce spam.
This thread serves a great purpose and the people flagging and helping to remove spam on a daily basis are doing a lot of good.
Please keep this thread on topic and helpful.
If you choose not to help with flagging spam then so be it, nobody has the obligation to but coming in here and derailing this thread is an insult to those that do put time into keeping this community spam free.
If you choose not to help or contribute in a constructive way to the topic, simply move on from this thread and don't post within it.
Have an awesome weekend everyone!
Adam, MyFitnessPal Moderator
Hmm, well I guess I failed to see how it was a derail, and frankly I still fail to see it. I also fail to see how my observations have insulted or disrespected anyone. But I will concede that my post was made in frustration regarding the spam, for the reasons I've already outlined.
And as you wish, I won't post in this thread again.
You too have an awesome weekend.
I believe a discussion on the validity of this tactic is absolutely on topic and not a derailment. In response to the OP:
OP and all contributors to this thread - the more you assist with this process, the less impetus there is on the admin team to find a more effective and permanent solution. I have been on countless internet forums and have experienced varying levels of spam filters. I know solutions exist because I've been on much larger forums with much larger user groups and much, much less spam.
I implore you: STOP FLAGGING THE SPAM! Until you do, the problem will continue.
ETA: This thread was created over 9 months ago. Despite all your efforts at flagging, has the problem gotten any better? Maybe it's time to re-examine the strategy.
^The above is incorrect. The admin team has been working hard with the developers to identify potential solutions to block the spammers from accessing the site. We also track spam activity to identify times when traffic is high, and the moderators (who are ALL volunteers, btw), have been working to try to be available to remove spammers during high traffic. I myself have logged in between the hours of 2 am - 6 am on multiple occasions to check in, despite that being the middle of the night when I should be sleeping. You can actually find comments from me on this discussion with those timestamps.
Moderators check the spam filter as soon as they log in, and those of us who are here in the mornings also review the forums for spam discussions which may not have enough flags to go to the filter.
The spam flag feature is not meant to replace admin or mod responsibility for the spam; rather, it empowers the users in this community to remove the posts from view so they do not overwhelm the discussion boards at times where a moderator may not be available. Before the switch to the new forums, the entire first page of discussions in each forum was spam, and users were unable to find real discussions. While we are still experiencing spam, the overall experience for the community has vastly improved. Most of the spam we are currently encountering is one-off spam, in which an account posts only once. Those instances far outnumber the "mad spammers" who post multiple discussions from one account.
I mentioned above that I had spent some time going through the forums to remove old babaji posts from before the switchover to the new forums - the posts I removed were from Feb 2014 - October 2014. During that time, I removed hundreds of users and thousands of posts. I can't remember who was the record holder, but I do remember that at least one user had created 481 spam discussions. So while the current spam issues are frustrating, they pale in comparison to what the mods were up against before the migration.
If people would personally prefer not to flag the spam, they are under no obligation to do so, however it's not going to make the process to fix the situation move any faster. And the bonus for the mod team is that we'll be able to identify users who are abusing the Spam flag feature more readily, as the only use for the Spam flag is for bot-style spam and any other use is a warnable violation.
None of what you have said indicates that what I've posted is false. You and the mod team and all the members helping are cutting back spam by removing it when it appears, but that doesn't mean there actually been an improvement in the actual number of spam posts.
My point about not flagging is that this would become a much higher priority if you didn't have the members coordinating flagging efforts here. The efforts from the time this thread started to now do not appear to have affected the ability of spammers, whether they were 400 posts from one account or one post from 400 accounts.
I guess I'd have to ask, has the actual number of spam posts decreased in that time and, if so, is that decrease traceable to MFP's efforts?
My second sentence states that the staff has been working with the developers to prevent spam before it gets to the site. I know that Olivia has worked with them to make adjustments to prevent spam, and this adjustments have impacted the amount of spam that gets in. I know the amount of spam I'm seeing in the queue each day has dropped significantly.
As I said, if you don't want to flag, then don't flag. MFP isn't secretly holding back a spam solution, and as far as the forums are concerned, I think other issues like the return of the ignore feature and the ability to search groups are a much higher priority to most members comparatively speaking. I doubt anyone wants those issues to be put to the back burner because a few people are bothered that other people personally choose to flag the spam and help keep the forums clean.0 -
LiftAllThePizzas wrote: »I'm rather disgusted by a for-profit business asking its customers to generate profit on their own personal time.
Well, this thread wasn't started by MFP. OP is just a member. Still, now that you mention it, if the spamming is so bad as need a coordinated removal effort amongst members, mods, and admins, shouldn't there be a dedicated resource for that until a prevention solution is developed?0 -
tincanonastring wrote: »tincanonastring wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »"Please flag the spam"
No. Increase your filters. I hope the boards get so bad and overrun with spam the admins are forced to do something about it instead of just talking about doing something about it and relying on us to keep their house uncluttered for them.
I'd just like to point out that this is a member created post that has served a lot of good in the community, not a staff or mod request.
With regards to the filters, they are being changed regularly to get the best results.
The moderator team regularly check this post but we are volunteers and there are a great number of other things that we need to do on a daily basis in order to keep things running smoothly within the community.
Just because we don't always post in here doesn't mean we're not checking and removing spam.
If you just stop flagging spam, it's not gonna make it all just go away.. If there was a magic solution that worked as well as we'd like it to it would have been done by now but as it stands we all have to do our bit to make this community into the place we want it to be.
Hopefully sometime in the near future the staff team will find a good way to block the majority of it out, I know for a fact that comments and suggestions are taken on board and discussed within the staff meetings.
Now, whether you flag spam or not is your choice but we really do appreciate the efforts of all that do!
I know it can feel like a thankless task sometimes but believe me, we are so greatful for everyone that does it!
Have an awesome Friday everyone, weekend is almost upon us!
With respect,
Adam, MyFitnessPal Moderator
The update happened back in October, and I've seen no improvement in respect to getting a better handle on the boards being flooded with spam regularly like clockwork.
My comment wasn't directed at volunteers, it was directed to Admins who have it within their capacity to fix this problem themselves, and who evidently are not.
Although it may not seem so, there has been a great deal done in an effort to reduce spam.
This thread serves a great purpose and the people flagging and helping to remove spam on a daily basis are doing a lot of good.
Please keep this thread on topic and helpful.
If you choose not to help with flagging spam then so be it, nobody has the obligation to but coming in here and derailing this thread is an insult to those that do put time into keeping this community spam free.
If you choose not to help or contribute in a constructive way to the topic, simply move on from this thread and don't post within it.
Have an awesome weekend everyone!
Adam, MyFitnessPal Moderator
Hmm, well I guess I failed to see how it was a derail, and frankly I still fail to see it. I also fail to see how my observations have insulted or disrespected anyone. But I will concede that my post was made in frustration regarding the spam, for the reasons I've already outlined.
And as you wish, I won't post in this thread again.
You too have an awesome weekend.
I believe a discussion on the validity of this tactic is absolutely on topic and not a derailment. In response to the OP:
OP and all contributors to this thread - the more you assist with this process, the less impetus there is on the admin team to find a more effective and permanent solution. I have been on countless internet forums and have experienced varying levels of spam filters. I know solutions exist because I've been on much larger forums with much larger user groups and much, much less spam.
I implore you: STOP FLAGGING THE SPAM! Until you do, the problem will continue.
ETA: This thread was created over 9 months ago. Despite all your efforts at flagging, has the problem gotten any better? Maybe it's time to re-examine the strategy.
^The above is incorrect. The admin team has been working hard with the developers to identify potential solutions to block the spammers from accessing the site. We also track spam activity to identify times when traffic is high, and the moderators (who are ALL volunteers, btw), have been working to try to be available to remove spammers during high traffic. I myself have logged in between the hours of 2 am - 6 am on multiple occasions to check in, despite that being the middle of the night when I should be sleeping. You can actually find comments from me on this discussion with those timestamps.
Moderators check the spam filter as soon as they log in, and those of us who are here in the mornings also review the forums for spam discussions which may not have enough flags to go to the filter.
The spam flag feature is not meant to replace admin or mod responsibility for the spam; rather, it empowers the users in this community to remove the posts from view so they do not overwhelm the discussion boards at times where a moderator may not be available. Before the switch to the new forums, the entire first page of discussions in each forum was spam, and users were unable to find real discussions. While we are still experiencing spam, the overall experience for the community has vastly improved. Most of the spam we are currently encountering is one-off spam, in which an account posts only once. Those instances far outnumber the "mad spammers" who post multiple discussions from one account.
I mentioned above that I had spent some time going through the forums to remove old babaji posts from before the switchover to the new forums - the posts I removed were from Feb 2014 - October 2014. During that time, I removed hundreds of users and thousands of posts. I can't remember who was the record holder, but I do remember that at least one user had created 481 spam discussions. So while the current spam issues are frustrating, they pale in comparison to what the mods were up against before the migration.
If people would personally prefer not to flag the spam, they are under no obligation to do so, however it's not going to make the process to fix the situation move any faster. And the bonus for the mod team is that we'll be able to identify users who are abusing the Spam flag feature more readily, as the only use for the Spam flag is for bot-style spam and any other use is a warnable violation.
None of what you have said indicates that what I've posted is false. You and the mod team and all the members helping are cutting back spam by removing it when it appears, but that doesn't mean there actually been an improvement in the actual number of spam posts.
My point about not flagging is that this would become a much higher priority if you didn't have the members coordinating flagging efforts here. The efforts from the time this thread started to now do not appear to have affected the ability of spammers, whether they were 400 posts from one account or one post from 400 accounts.
I guess I'd have to ask, has the actual number of spam posts decreased in that time and, if so, is that decrease traceable to MFP's efforts?
My second sentence states that the staff has been working with the developers to prevent spam before it gets to the site. I know that Olivia has worked with them to make adjustments to prevent spam, and this adjustments have impacted the amount of spam that gets in. I know the amount of spam I'm seeing in the queue each day has dropped significantly.
As I said, if you don't want to flag, then don't flag. MFP isn't secretly holding back a spam solution, and as far as the forums are concerned, I think other issues like the return of the ignore feature and the ability to search groups are a much higher priority to most members comparatively speaking. I doubt anyone wants those issues to be put to the back burner because a few people are bothered that other people personally choose to flag the spam and help keep the forums clean.
Well, hopefully the introduction of the Premium version creates enough revenue for the developers to do more than one thing at a time.
ETA: "The admin team has been working hard with the developers to identify potential solutions to block the spammers from accessing the site." This is the sentence in question. It did nothing to refute my contention that the development efforts have been a failure. It's been 3/4 of a year spent "identifying potential solutions" and I have not noticed a significant decrease in spam hitting the boards. There's still a need for this thread to coordinate flagging efforts.0 -
I never flag spammers. I only flag people who say "loose" weight.0
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There was a comment made about not having a secret solution that is being withheld. I don't think that that's the case. Of course there's not a secret solution being withheld. There's not a solution at all. That's the problem.0
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There's this revolutionary new idea in business called "hiring employees and paying them to do a job." I suspect it would produce better results than panhandling for labor.tincanonastring wrote: »LiftAllThePizzas wrote: »I'm rather disgusted by a for-profit business asking its customers to generate profit on their own personal time.
Well, this thread wasn't started by MFP. OP is just a member. Still, now that you mention it, if the spamming is so bad as need a coordinated removal effort amongst members, mods, and admins, shouldn't there be a dedicated resource for that until a prevention solution is developed?
0 -
LiftAllThePizzas wrote: »
There's this revolutionary new idea in business called "hiring employees and paying them to do a job." I suspect it would produce better results than panhandling for labor.tincanonastring wrote: »LiftAllThePizzas wrote: »I'm rather disgusted by a for-profit business asking its customers to generate profit on their own personal time.
Well, this thread wasn't started by MFP. OP is just a member. Still, now that you mention it, if the spamming is so bad as need a coordinated removal effort amongst members, mods, and admins, shouldn't there be a dedicated resource for that until a prevention solution is developed?
What are you, some type of corporate fascist?!0
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