Author Topic: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers  (Read 21146 times)

Chenier

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Re: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers
« Reply #30: September 29, 2011, 05:58:18 PM »
I hope CAPTCHA would only apply to account creation, and not edits. These things are dreadful...
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Indirik

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Re: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers
« Reply #31: September 29, 2011, 06:35:49 PM »
I think that one option is to only use a captcha if the edit includes external links. I agree that random captchas or on every edit would only piss off the regular users.

I do like the idea of the question about the game created by us, rather than random words or math problems. You could create something blindingly obvious to all BattleMaster players that a non-player would not really be able to answer.
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Tom

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Re: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers
« Reply #32: September 29, 2011, 08:03:30 PM »
sounds like a good solution. I'll keep it in mind. I would want for it to have a bit more intelligence, like stopping to ask users after the 10th time or so. But it's definitely a good start.


Ramiel

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Re: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers
« Reply #33: September 29, 2011, 09:47:44 PM »
also if they uplaod pics would be awesomesauce
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De-Legro

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Re: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers
« Reply #34: September 30, 2011, 01:31:57 AM »
I think that one option is to only use a captcha if the edit includes external links. I agree that random captchas or on every edit would only piss off the regular users.

I do like the idea of the question about the game created by us, rather than random words or math problems. You could create something blindingly obvious to all BattleMaster players that a non-player would not really be able to answer.

Yes the one I linked to can target only posts that contain external links. If Tom wants some other options, I could certainly look at updating the existing extension to suit. It also allows for the Captcha to be a series of questions set by the wiki admin, so none of those dreadful images that make me think my eye sight must be deteriorating
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Tom

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Re: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers
« Reply #35: September 30, 2011, 04:07:03 PM »
Basically, what I think would be perfect is something that affects only new accounts on their first 5-10 edits. After that, the extension should assume that he's ok because if he wouldn't, we'd have locked him by then.

Ramiel

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Re: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers
« Reply #36: September 30, 2011, 10:09:16 PM »
I feel sorry Indirik who I notify asap when I find a bot, he must be tired of Bot killing by now :D
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Indirik

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Re: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers
« Reply #37: September 30, 2011, 10:25:06 PM »
Meh, it's pretty quick with that new Nuke extension Tom put in. Bedwyr gets some of the, too.
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Tom

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Re: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers
« Reply #38: September 30, 2011, 11:53:11 PM »
so for starters, should I add that extension and set it to account creation only? See what effect it has?

Chenier

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Re: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers
« Reply #39: October 01, 2011, 12:35:28 AM »
Better start small and increase from there, I figure, so as to minimize nuisances to users.
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Tom

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Re: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers
« Reply #40: October 01, 2011, 08:27:31 AM »
ok, added. please test. should work with mostly the default settings, i.e. only trigger on account creation or adding a URL and not for users who confirmed their e-mail.

Indirik

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Re: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers
« Reply #41: October 06, 2011, 05:56:05 PM »
I may be jinxing things here, but this appears to have worked. We have not had a case of spamming in the past 7 days.
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Ramiel

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Re: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers
« Reply #42: October 06, 2011, 09:08:26 PM »
I may be jinxing things here, but this appears to have worked. We have not had a case of spamming in the past 7 days.

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De-Legro

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Re: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers
« Reply #43: October 28, 2011, 04:08:27 AM »
Looks like a new bot has gotten around the system.
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Zakilevo

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Re: Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers
« Reply #44: October 28, 2011, 05:54:51 AM »
Huh. Bots are capable of learning?