The way members deal with spam on this website...

[imagineer99]

After reading through the "Celebrity spotted at the Magic Kingdom!" thread, I must say I'm a tad disappointed in the way members of this great site reacted.

The thread, which was made by a newbie member, was not intended to harm others. Although, I do not think it was a "good" thread, nor was it placed in the proper location, the poster was not in anyway attempting to hurt others with her message.

What discourages me was that people immediately began to label the post as SPAM and in turn, KEPT POSTING ON THE THREAD.

As has been discussed many times (according to Steve's rules), the way to deal with SPAM (or posts that you deem to be SPAM) is to simply flag it. DO NOT RESPOND. DO NOT MAKE JOKES. DO NOT MAKE INSULTS TO THE SPAMMER (most of the time the spammer doesn't come back to the thread ANYWAY). By responding, you are actually bumping the thread to the top (just what the spammer wants).

The above reason was why the troll-trunting agency was disbanded to begin with. It was uncessary and actually fueled trolls and spammers (rather than discourage them), because a troll craves nothing more than attention.

So, I urge people to flag posts that they deem SPAM instead of continuing to post. Move on. Try to resist the urge.

I know people LOVE controversy, but this is neither the time nor the place. Be mature and do not respond.

Thanks all for reading! Have a great day.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Hehe, I completely agree...actually, I almost said something along these lines in that spam thread...but realized that it would've just bumped it up.

Good work I-99.

 

[coasterphil]

Its bad, but the thing is that stuff happens at almost every forum on the web. I always have a problem with it, but on other sites the treatment of newer members can be much worse. I hope the member wasn't scared away from this site based on the response to that thread.

 

[Boo's Mom]

I think those who do that should be punished in some way. I agree with you I-99. I was like WDWFREAK53, I wanted to say something but I knew it would cause more trouble so I didn't. This is why so many memebers turn away from this board. Too many members are quick to attack at the slightest little thing. Thats why I lurked around this board for so long before joining. I was scared of how people were going to react because there are some down-right rude people here. I find myself straying to other boards all the time because I cannot stand the rude I'm better than everybody else stuck up attitudes on this board. The majority are nice but there are always a few a**holes who just ruin my day. I've had a long day and after reading that thread, I was so disappointed in some of the members that it p***ed me off

 

[Woody13]

Amen I-99! :wave:

 

[DDuckFan130]

After reading through the "Celebrity spotted at the Magic Kingdom!" thread, I must say I'm a tad disappointed in the way members of this great site reacted.

The thread, which was made by a newbie member, was not intended to harm others. Although, I do not think it was a "good" thread, nor was it placed in the proper location, the poster was not in anyway attempting to hurt others with her message.

What discourages me was that people immediately began to label the post as SPAM and in turn, KEPT POSTING ON THE THREAD.

As has been discussed many times (according to Steve's rules), the way to deal with SPAM (or posts that you deem to be SPAM) is to simply flag it. DO NOT RESPOND. DO NOT MAKE JOKES. DO NOT MAKE INSULTS TO THE SPAMMER (most of the time the spammer doesn't come back to the thread ANYWAY). By responding, you are actually bumping the thread to the top (just what the spammer wants).

The above reason was why the troll-trunting agency was disbanded to begin with. It was uncessary and actually fueled trolls and spammers (rather than discourage them), because a troll craves nothing more than attention.

So, I urge people to flag posts that they deem SPAM instead of continuing to post. Move on. Try to resist the urge.

I know people LOVE controversy, but this is neither the time nor the place. Be mature and do not respond.

Thanks all for reading! Have a great day.

Bravo :sohappy: I tried to convey that in that thread but you hit the nail on the head.

 

[Goofette]

I completely agree with you Imagineer....The way it should be handled is what Steve has said so many times. Just Report it and he'll take care of it, or the mod on that thread will. As long as everyone keeps posting to it, it only brings it to the forefront and people will click on it (As I did..but I reported the post and didn't post to the thread). I remember years ago when trolls would come and post really bad things, I mean, things that were BAAAAD and that's saying something for some of the things we post around here. We would try to bury it by NOT posting to it. As long as everyone jumps on the bandwagon it only makes things worse. I actually don't mind someone pointing out when someone is spamming but once it's been declared then everyone should stop posting to that thread and start reporting it.

 

[MKCP 1985]

If it had been spam, pure spam, all the comments just kept the thread in the public view. "There's no such thing as bad publicity."

As it turned out, the person who made the post did come back and it was a bad scene. Not one of the board's prouder moments.

I-99, your comments were right on target.

 

[ogryn]

Just in case people don't know, here's a handy guide to the icons:

 

[Erika]

LOL Dave!!

Already done (reputation given to I99!)

 

[Legacy]

And the whole "Make His Box Red!" thing is immature and inappropriate.

(And you know who I'm talking to...)

 

[MerHearted]

Just neg rep anyone who replies.

 

[slappy magoo]

Well, maybe I take things too much to heart, but I'm genuinely offended by spam. I'd be just as offended, and I find it just as crass, as I would if I were at a party, and everyone's genuinely having a nice time, and then some jackass comes in and starts throwing his/her business cards around, trying to "network." Wrong time, wrong place, and if you don't want your feelings hurt, don't do it. I find it infinitely more crass when someone does it on their first post. That's the equivalent of CRASHING the party in order to network, IMHO.

Maybe the person in question was not your typical spammer. Maybe she wasn't going to make money by people visiting her link. But she came here with an agenda, an agenda that had little to nothing to do with why the board exists. AND she did it poorly, to boot! If she had posted at least ONE other time before pushing her "my boyfriend is a celebrity in my mind and should be a celebrity everywhere else" mentality, I'd be less inclined to give a darn. She garners none of my sympathy.

If the mods would rather we report a spammer than comment on it, then fine, will do. But as far as the notion that we generate more interest in the spam by commenting on it, to that I ask: Can't mods disable links?

Personally, if I came here to spam the forum, and I didn't see spam, I'd still do it. Even if it's only up for a few hours, it's free advertising. But if the mods disabled the link but didn't delete the post, so everyone else could pile-on and mock the spammer, well, if I were a spammer and I saw that, I'd be more tempted to spam elsewhere. Because I'd see that you people are having none of it, rather than there might be one diligent mod deleting my threads.

But hey, that's me. And it might explain why I can't go more than 20 feet outside my home without the location ID bracelet going off.

 

[Boo's Mom]

I have a problem with people automatically labeling people by their first post. You don't know that person so how can you be sure she was : pushing her "my boyfriend is a celebrity in my mind and should be a celebrity everywhere else" mentality. Just because you don't recognize the man doesn't mean that he couldn't be a celebrity. Hell, there are people in this world who have never heard of Johnny Depp or Brad Pitt. Does that give them the right to blast us because we get excited about them? no, so we shouldn't blast that person for posting that thread. Maybe she thought he was a celebrity maybe she didn't but its wrong to flame her for that one post.

 

[slappy magoo]

Jonny...Depp?

Never heard of him.

Sorry. I calls 'em, likes I sees 'em, at least when it comes to internet trolls/spam. I just won't do it here anymore. i'd make a great juror, honest.

But meanwhile, riddle me this. Just playing Devil's Advocate, but...

if the poster really believed this wrestler was such a big shot celebrity, why didn't she use HIS NAME in the subject thread? Instead of just "celebrity spotted at the Magic Kingdom?" Is it possible that she knew nobody would know who this cat was (or care) if she used his name? In the body of the text (where the link oh-so-conveniently was) she made it sound like EVERYBODY knew this wreslter (whose such a freakin' unknown, I've already forgotten his name, lord knows *I* didn't use the link). Fine, put it in the header. I think she knew exactly what she was doing. If this guy goes to a Yankee game opening day, I'd bet a shiny nickel she'd post a link on a Yankee fan site to a picture of him. If he went to a U2 concert, she's post a "Guess which celebrity is into U2?" thread on one of those fan sites. I've (sadly) spent enough time on the internet to know it when I see it. And I've (sadly) spent enough time with "local celebrities" who would do anything to increase their cache, even if it meant having someone pretend to be a fan and link pictures of the "celebrity" everywhere, to notice that too. It's the internet equivalent of a radio show that plays local music an hour a week, and all the friends and girlfriends of the band call up the station, acting innocent, asking "Who WAS that? That was AWESOME!" If it worked on some of you, fine. But I ain't buying it.

But I'll put it to the test. Next time I go to WDW, I'll post pics of me as if I'm just bubbling under the surface of Hollywood superstardom, and we'll see if anyone bites.

 

[DDuckFan130]

And the whole "Make His Box Red!" thing is immature and inappropriate.

(And you know who I'm talking to...)

Thank you! :kiss: I didn't want to say anything, but I hinted at it in the other thread. I feel bad calling people out but that was seriously bugging me.

 

[ACE]

I'll admit I was the first to call it spam. Like someone else posted, "When your first post is a link to your fan site, then it appears to be spam." I didn't post again until someone decided to give me bad rep and curse at me. I don't care about the rep but I certainly don't feel my first post was anything to curse at me for. My post read, "No he's not, this is spam. Please stop." Nothing mean or degrading. Then to top it off they didn't have the nerve to say who they were when they cursed at me.

I find it very interesting that in this thread folks are basically saying to let Steve or the Mods handle problems but at the same time you're taking it upon yourself to correct the folks from the other thread who called it spam. Why don't you follow your own advice and let Steve or the Mods handle it?

IMO this thread stirs the pot just as much as the post in the other thread. Remember, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

Take Care,
ACE

 

[imagineer99]

I find it very interesting that in this thread folks are basically saying to let Steve or the Mods handle problems but at the same time you're taking it upon yourself to correct the folks from the other thread who called it spam. Why don't you follow your own advice and let Steve or the Mods handle it?

IMO this thread stirs the pot just as much as the post in the other thread. Remember, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

Take Care,
ACE

umm...I didn't post in the original thread, so I WAS letting Steve or the mods handle it. Please, how did I not follow my own adivce?

My intentions are truly not to "stir the pot." I'm not trying to make trouble or "point" fingers. You can't honestly believe that the way members acted on that thread was appropriate? I frankly, was surprised at that collective reaction. So, I felt compelled to make this thread.

Does it really do any harm? Frankly, after re-reading my post, I just truly can't see how what I wrote was confronatational. In fact, I find it difficult to believe that what I wrote could be remotely misinterpreted in that fashion.

So, I will rephrase my point. From now on, If you think something is SPAM, just do not post. It's truly the most logical thing to do. Not so hard to do nothing, eh?

Well, maybe I take things too much to heart, but I'm genuinely offended by spam. I'd be just as offended, and I find it just as crass, as I would if I were at a party, and everyone's genuinely having a nice time, and then some jackass comes in and starts throwing his/her business cards around, trying to "network." Wrong time, wrong place, and if you don't want your feelings hurt, don't do it. I find it infinitely more crass when someone does it on their first post. That's the equivalent of CRASHING the party in order to network, IMHO.

I'm a tad confused by this as well. If you are offended by SPAM, why even post at all? By doing so, you are simply keeping the SPAM visible longer and for more people as well. That notion seems counterproductive to me. To use your analogy, wouldn't the best way to get rid of this "party crasher" be to ignore him and then inform the host of his presence? That seems much more effective to me than loudly confronting him.

Again, this thread really wasn't intended to be something to cause anybody a sense of confrontation. I have followed all of my own advice and have created this thread just to produce awareness to something I didn't agree with. I really do not wish for this to turn into a debate or anything of the sort. :wave:

 

[Figment1986]

I never reply to spam anymore.... it just helps fule them and makes them notice how they can get a spam posted and then get others posted..... by making the title interesting and posting spam.. and having replied gets more people to see the illegal advertising of a product more.....

Just click on this button (not a real active one..)

whihc is located in the top righthand corner next to the rep... and report the post to Steve (wdwmagic) or Eeyore(sorry.. forgot your name) and they will take care of it... (I forgot this existed.. never actualy used it, but will use it in the future...)

 

[MKCP 1985]

I don't think we are trying to substitute ourselves for the moderator by posting on this thread, or by having this thread. We are just trying to have a discussion among friends in a way to improve the board over the long run.

If the moderators see the spammer's thread and remove it, that is the best result, but they aren't all seeing, all the time. This thread, to me, is just a vehicle for board members to voice support for the moderators' suggestions. A thread like this may bring more attention to what has been said elsewhere about how to handle spam. :wave: