What is it with all these trolls and spammers?

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League_Girl
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19 Dec 2014, 3:51 pm

This place has always had them as long as I can remember but there seems to be a lot more lately over the past couple months. What is going on?

The mods finally have their banning tools but the troll and spammer activities have still increased. I wonder where are they coming from and if they are former members that have been banned in the past. Or are they just spam bots?

This place is where I have seen the most trolls and spammers even though I don't get the chance to see what they post because it's been reported and taken care of before I could see it.


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20 Dec 2014, 11:22 am

Well, for one, a lot of previously banned members have somehow had their accounts reactivated since the site upgraded. Dunno why.

As for spammers, well, we're whacking them as fast as possible.

Be advised that the staff is aware of the problem and is working hard to rid the site of never-do-wells.


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20 Dec 2014, 6:34 pm

I got 2 emails today,one sent me to the topic to respond and the other said I was banned.


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20 Dec 2014, 10:09 pm

to my knowledge only one formerly banned troll has been resurrected, but that's been taken care of already.

most of what you see comes just from spambots, non-human programs with irrelevant ads and links to sites, lots of which are malicious (so best not to click, though that's probably a no-brainier by now)
they could be sent out by scammers who recieve commission if the product is bought.

many of them just puke out one single post/thread and die out, so once that's been dealt with a ban could probably not be needed, but i still whack em just to be sure. we've gotten a few IP's too.

it's the really prolific ones that are a PITA, and gave me a headache last time :P

so they've got no purpose on here except to spew out hilariously garbled, incomprehensible word salads good for a chuckle or two.

XFilesGeek wrote:
Well, for one, a lot of previously banned members have somehow had their accounts reactivated since the site upgraded. Dunno why.


yeah, and locked threads have been unlocked too..


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21 Dec 2014, 5:23 am

Kiprobalhato wrote:
to my knowledge only one formerly banned troll has been resurrected, but that's been taken care of already.

most of what you see comes just from spambots, non-human programs with irrelevant ads and links to sites, lots of which are malicious (so best not to click, though that's probably a no-brainier by now)
they could be sent out by scammers who recieve commission if the product is bought.

many of them just puke out one single post/thread and die out, so once that's been dealt with a ban could probably not be needed, but i still whack em just to be sure. we've gotten a few IP's too.

it's the really prolific ones that are a PITA, and gave me a headache last time :P

so they've got no purpose on here except to spew out hilariously garbled, incomprehensible word salads good for a chuckle or two.

XFilesGeek wrote:
Well, for one, a lot of previously banned members have somehow had their accounts reactivated since the site upgraded. Dunno why.


yeah, and locked threads have been unlocked too..
why do I get these emails from time to time saying I am banned


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League_Girl
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21 Dec 2014, 7:48 pm

XFilesGeek wrote:
Well, for one, a lot of previously banned members have somehow had their accounts reactivated since the site upgraded. Dunno why.



Did any of them post?


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XFilesGeek
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21 Dec 2014, 8:10 pm

^ Yup.


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vermontsavant
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21 Dec 2014, 8:32 pm

no one has answered why I keep getting emails saying im banned when I clearly am not because im posting now


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Kiprobalhato
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21 Dec 2014, 10:21 pm

vermontsavant wrote:
no one has answered why I keep getting emails saying im banned when I clearly am not because im posting now


it wasn't me, that's for sure. or the other mods. 'ban' emails aren't automated.

what was the message of the email?


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22 Dec 2014, 5:38 am

Kiprobalhato wrote:
vermontsavant wrote:
no one has answered why I keep getting emails saying im banned when I clearly am not because im posting now


it wasn't me, that's for sure. or the other mods. 'ban' emails aren't automated.

what was the message of the email?
one said "your not authorized to view this forum" but I had no problem going to the site and clicking on the forum.

another said I was banned and to contact an administrator.its only in email responses and has only happened a couple times


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Kiprobalhato
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23 Dec 2014, 10:01 pm

it seems like that was just an error. if you get any more ban emails (which hopefully you shouldn't) just delete them - they mean nothing and you're no troublemaker.

i've gotten errors on the forum (not thru links) that say that the forum "doesn't exist". weird. refreshing, or accessing it by other means usually works.


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24 Dec 2014, 2:47 am

Kiprobalhato wrote:
it seems like that was just an error. if you get any more ban emails (which hopefully you shouldn't) just delete them - they mean nothing and you're no troublemaker.

i've gotten errors on the forum (not thru links) that say that the forum "doesn't exist". weird. refreshing, or accessing it by other means usually works.
good thank you


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ASPartOfMe
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27 Dec 2014, 10:33 pm

A lot of the moderators left in recent months and they are very short staffed. I am amazed they are able to respond as well as they have.

Alex is now very engaged here but I think it will take a year or so to hire and train moderators and for the new moderators to get experience.


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o0iella
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28 Dec 2014, 9:53 am

I also get "banned" for "spamming" occasionally



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28 Dec 2014, 8:14 pm

Why do people keep feeding the trolls?

"tomato" is one of the biggest trolls on WP. He posts incoherent ramblings about how humanity are all robots and "unspiritual." He backs up his nonsense ramblings with links to crackpot websites and video clips from films such as The Matrix. If you disagree with him and he can't think of a response, he usually retorts by calling you a "robot," "conformist," or claims you're "not thinking deeply enough." :lol:

Some of the things he's said:

"masturbation destroys your brain"

"most Jews have autism and psychosis"

"only unevolved people procreate"

"socializing is a sin"



B19
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28 Dec 2014, 8:20 pm

He seems really seriously disturbed and I find him a very disturbing presence here. I thought he was a troll from the beginning, and Tallyman did too, he issued a warning to him - though this guy continues his mega-offensive rants..