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Spamming through Private Messages!!!

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by rob lay, Oct 9, 2004.

?

Should Private Messaging be removed for Non Subscribers?

  1. No

  2. Yes and I'm a Non Subscriber

  3. Yes and I'm a Subscriber or w/same permissions

Multiple votes are allowed.
Results are only viewable after voting.
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  1. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
    Staff Member Admin Social Subscribed Miami 2018 Owner

    Dec 1, 2000
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    Rob Lay
    #1 rob lay, Oct 9, 2004
    We've always had a problem with spammers using the private message system. It takes some work on their part, but they can just PM people individually until they get tired or banned.

    I know everyone enjoys the PM system, but we can't allow it to be abused. As our community now grows beyond 12,000 users and we're adding another 1,000 a month we need to work harder at maintaining quality.

    When Non Subscribed users abuse the system, then they are ruining it for all Non Subscribed users. From day one I've said there isn't an overall problem with having Non Subscribed users and I will always believe that. However, we need to analyze ways to maintain our community quality and right now I want to explore removing Private Messaging permissions from Non Subscribed users.

    The Positives...

    1) Spamming would be eliminated through PM almost altogether. If a subscribed user spammed, then it could be dealt with more directly and if it continued, then it would start getting expensive for the user every time they resubscribe.
    2) Less resources used by Non Subscribed users, so better site performance for everyone.
    3) This may or may not motivate more users to subscribe, if so, then there would be additional resources for FerrariChat.com to make improvements.

    The negatives...

    1) PM'ing between Non Subscribed users is very popular and probably more than 99% of the current messages are fine.
    2) Non Subscribed users wouldn't even be able to receive messages from moderators or subscribed users.
    3) Some off line discussions would now be forced back into the forums.
    4) Punishing the masses just for a few bad apples.

    I'm sure there is more on both sides. I really don't know my view at this point, that's why I want to openly discuss with the community. When everyone in the community has input, then we usually end up with the best result. This community is ours, not mine or his or theirs.

    Thank you,
    rob
     

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  2. zjpj

    zjpj F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    5,938
    USA
    #2 zjpj, Oct 9, 2004
    FWIW, i've never gotten a spam PM.

    But, if this is happening, I think the positives you list far outweigh the negatives.
     
  3. jonathanp

    jonathanp Formula Junior

    Oct 31, 2003
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    #3 jonathanp, Oct 9, 2004
    I havent' gotten one either FWIW
     
  4. LetsJet

    LetsJet F1 Veteran
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    #4 LetsJet, Oct 9, 2004
    Me too
     
  5. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
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    #5 GrigioGuy, Oct 9, 2004
    You're missing an option:

    No, and I am a subscriber

    I have NEVER received a spam through PM. Since you've removed email for non-subscribers, PMs are the only way to talk to some of the members here.

    While this would generate more revenue for you by increasing the number of subsribers, I strongly believe that removing the PMs would damage the sense of community that keeps people at this particular forum.
     

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  6. dm_n_stuff

    dm_n_stuff Global Moderator
    Global Moderator Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2003
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    #6 dm_n_stuff, Oct 9, 2004
    Can you set it up so that non-subscribers can't PM subscribers, only reply to a pm sent to them, or something like that?
     
  7. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
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    #7 GrigioGuy, Oct 9, 2004
    As an aside -- You really should have a "site discussion" forum for this stuff, and the 'site down' and those type discussions
     
  8. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    #8 rob lay, Oct 9, 2004
    This is the most active forum and most diverse group of users. So I think it's the best place for site discussions and announcements. Who would really go to a site discussion forum? We have a moderators forum and that's where most things are discussed, we've been discussing this there for several days.

    Well, I know spammers aren't dumb enough to send me PM's. I didn't know how widespread the spamming was. Seems like many of our 25 moderators have been spammed. Tillman, you're pretty active on here, so if you haven't been spammed, then maybe it was just isolated.

    So I can tell you right now that if the problem isn't as bad as the moderators and I thought, then we should keep everything as is.
     
  9. damcgee

    damcgee Formula 3

    Feb 23, 2003
    1,864
    Mobile, AL
    #9 damcgee, Oct 9, 2004
    Is there any way to have a probational period for newly registed, unsubscribed users? I realize this would not make it impossible for degenerates to clog up PM inboxes, but would it dissuade them? If you must be a member for 30 days before you have PM priviledges, it makes it more difficult to sign up and spam.

    Again, I realize this is not foolproof, but it seems it would curtail the spamming while still giving established, registered, unsubscribed users an important benefit.
     

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  10. SefacHotRodder

    SefacHotRodder F1 World Champ

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    #10 SefacHotRodder, Oct 9, 2004

    Yeah. That would make sense. Not that i need to worry :D
     
  11. sparta49

    sparta49 F1 Veteran
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    #11 sparta49, Oct 9, 2004
    I guess we can call this the ALLANLAMBO Rule ???????
     
  12. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    #12 rob lay, Oct 9, 2004
    Virtually every rule we have is because of Allan. :) Amazing that one person can be such a jerk to ruin it for everyone else. Don't need rules if you don't need rules.
     
  13. sparta49

    sparta49 F1 Veteran
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    #13 sparta49, Oct 9, 2004
    C'mon now Gary Green did his fair share to get rules implemented Don't blame it all on Allan :)
     
  14. DrStranglove

    DrStranglove FChat Assassin
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    Oct 31, 2003
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    #14 DrStranglove, Oct 9, 2004

    Same here; I voted no
     
  15. Speed Racerette

    Speed Racerette Formula 3

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    #15 Speed Racerette, Oct 9, 2004
    No Spam here.
     
  16. SefacHotRodder

    SefacHotRodder F1 World Champ

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    #16 SefacHotRodder, Oct 9, 2004
    I got a spam (i think) of some guy selling a tag heuer clock. It was a cool clock tho ;)
     
  17. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    #17 rob lay, Oct 9, 2004
    I'm not as concerned on the one offs, but we have had confirmed cases of many PM's sent out. Just didn't know if it was 20 or 200.
     
  18. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Four Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
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    #18 Texas Forever, Oct 9, 2004
    No only have I never gotten a spam message, but I'm not in the loop for Rob's new feature for us "lifting pinky finger" Rosso members. Geeze Louise, I musta done somebody wrong.

    Dale
     
  19. SrfCity

    SrfCity F1 Veteran

    Nov 1, 2003
    9,842
    Orange County, CA
    #19 SrfCity, Oct 9, 2004
    Can anyone verify getting spam here? Seems like we've yet to hear one. If this is characteristic, it would seem ratting these PM spammers out to Mods or whoever would pretty much solve the problem.

    P.S. - OK, there was one :)
     
  20. damcgee

    damcgee Formula 3

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    #20 damcgee, Oct 9, 2004
  21. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    #21 rob lay, Oct 9, 2004
    Moderators tonyh and lafun2 had personally received it. Darth said that he had heard many others had received it.

    So considering only a few moderators were taking part in the discussion, you can see how I thought it was more widespread. Good news if it isn't.
     
  22. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
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    #22 thecarreaper, Oct 9, 2004
    the only spam i recieved was from my ad on ferrariads for my 308. you know the " we will send you extra money and you send it back " scam , among others. i didn't worry about it since my terms were to be paid in person in cash ect. if we over regulate the ability for new members to communicate with the rest of the community, we will all suffer. many that lurk here and are unsubscribed, may be of great use to to the Ferrari community from time to time. i used to be the new guy, non owner. and i wont forget how hard i have worked to get where i am now. :)
     
  23. LAfun2

    LAfun2 F1 Veteran

    Oct 31, 2003
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    #23 LAfun2, Oct 9, 2004
    Rob,

    It is highly likely, that the PMs we were discussing in the mods forum, are not considered spam by many of the F chatters. ;)
     
  24. Brian C. Stradale

    Brian C. Stradale F1 Rookie
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    Mar 17, 2002
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    #24 Brian C. Stradale, Oct 9, 2004
    I voted "no" because I think the spamming problem can be controlled adequately via banning. Now, if we get an onslaught at some point such that we can't ban people fast enough, then I'd vote "yes".
     
  25. Aureus

    Aureus Formula 3

    Mar 8, 2004
    2,104
    Louisiana,California
    #25 Aureus, Oct 9, 2004
    If spam from un-subscribed users is felt to be a problem, it might be a nicer solution to base the privilege of using the PM system on post count rather than on paying up cash. Say once someone has participated to the tune of 50 or 100 posts they can then send and receive PMs? Rather than punishing the un-subscribed members who do participate, it might be better to reward the ones that decided too.
     
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