› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Update: Recent Spam Activity
- This topic has 20 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 7 months ago by
MelanomaMike.
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- September 10, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Hi everyone,
As many of you have seen, there has been a significant increase in spam activity over the past two weeks. We wanted to let you know that we have been and will continue to be at work to address these unwelcome messages and better prevent them in the future. We recognize that the MPIP is an incredibly valuable resource because of each of your contributions and the dedication you show in supporting, comforting and advising one another – even sharing and celebrating good news as it comes along. As such, any activity that takes away from your ability to freely read, share and use this forum is unwelcome and will be removed as rapidly as possible.
We currently have in place an automated filter that blocks most spam messages before they are even published. This filter flags suspected posts using a number of tools including, but not limited to:
- An evolving list of keywords often found in spam messages
- Accounts and/or email addresses that have posted spam on other websites
- Regions that host spam networks and link farms
- Accounts that post multiple messages at once, especially soon after creating an account
- CAPTCHA function that targets automated posting
Occasionally, spammers find a way around these measures. When this happens we recalibrate the filter settings to meet their new tactics, which is what is currently underway. One priority we're currently working on is to strengthen the "multiple message" block – while the occasional spam post may still slip through even the most rigorous filters, this function should be able to reliably block mass messaging. The "report" function was a feature of a previous version of the filter software that was updated and is no longer available by the manufacturer, unfortunately. We are looking into alternatives to replace this feature, as we recognize and value the time and effort you spend to help us maintain this forum.
Additionally, we wanted to better explain the "anonymous" posting setting, which has been used in some of the spam activity. When posting a message as "Anonymous," this only affects what is shown to other users of the board. The user account that posted the message is visible to MRF admins, and when we see activity that is clearly spam, both the post and the user account is immediately, permanently deleted. While we recognize the value to many in the privacy that an anonymous post offers, any abuse of this function in violation of forum rules is not tolerated.
Lastly, thank you for your patience and cooperation as we work to combat a renewed and unwelcome effort by spammers. Our goal is to always find a balance between strong anti-spam measures while ensuring that individuals like yourselves are not overly burdened by these features. Please know that we are hard at work to provide the best experience possible on the MPIP and that we value your feedback and support in these efforts.
Sincerely,
Adam, MRF
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- September 10, 2018 at 4:30 pm
Thanks Adam, I have an idea that might work. First any one that is joining would have to be approved by MRF before account is activated, second add some extra layers like Facebook link to join so that admin could verify new members are real people not fake account. If you go on any melanoma members Facebook accounts you will see post about melanoma and signs that person is dealing with the beast. Making it a little harder to join will hopefully clear up the issue!!! Ed
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- September 10, 2018 at 5:08 pm
Put me down for not liking either of those ideas. I think a lot of people come to the forum when they or their loved one receive an initial diagnosis. They are panicked and looking for information fast. I think requiring that they need to wait for admin approval would only add to their stress. As for for linking to Facebook, I would not have joined this forum if that had been a requirement. Facebook already knows too much about me without access to some of the medical information I have shared here.
I trust Adam and the MRF team to fix this issue without making the forum harder to join or use.
Just my $.02.
-Rich
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- September 10, 2018 at 5:09 pm
Thank you for bringing us up to date, Adam, and working on the problem. Implementing Ed’s idea of approval and/or another layer would be terrific. Just something other than Facebook, given the number of people who have closed their accounts recently, or those who never joined. (I deleted my account b/c of security/privacy issues years ago.)
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- September 11, 2018 at 2:58 am
Let me try this again, the Facebook part would just be for admin to use to verify person joining so that spam might be avoided. Other melanoma groups actual operate in the Facebook world and have thousands of members with admin that screen new members to try and keep out the spammers. For the most part they do a great job. Two groups that I follow, "stage 4 melanoma" and the second one is called " melanomies ".
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- September 11, 2018 at 9:31 pm
Personally, I would *love* to see the "Anonymous" option go away. Folks don't typically sign up with their real names anyway — all the anonymous posts do is confuse the situation, especially when you have three or four different "anonymous" posting at the same time.
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- September 12, 2018 at 1:58 am
There's a pretty valid reason for having this – even though I understand your viewpoint. If I had vulvar melanoma, I might not love having my "nickname" associated with my question. My question might be sensitive and putting my name to it makes it associated with me for every future search. If I were a patient with a new symptom and my family also read the board, I might want to ask a "what if" witihout alerting anyone else. And the same if I was a caregiver. I might want to ask a caregiver question/concern without alerting the patient. I know it can be confusing and annoying, but think if you had those situations. You'd likely not post at all. There is no question it is used for more than that, but there is a valid reason for it being here. Not putting my name on this to avoid backlash, lol.
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- September 14, 2018 at 1:17 am
If that's the case, they could just make up a new profile for that question with another made-up name. Or maybe MRF could change the program so that every time someone posts as "Anonymous" they get an identifier. Anonymous123, Anonymous456, etc.
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- September 14, 2018 at 2:59 am
Or AnonymousButNotAnAlcoholic12, or AnonymousCaller#75, or Anonymouse4Life…these are “free”… -
- September 12, 2018 at 12:29 pm
I agree, Susan. It’s confusing, and I’ve wondered if occasionally Anonymouses haven’t gotten the number of helpful responses they might otherwise receive. At one point board experts were being attacked by Anonymouses. It could have been one or four – cowardly, and to not even know how many are sniping, unfair.
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- September 12, 2018 at 3:38 pm
I cannot keep track of our Anonymouses! When they do post their issues its hard to reply cuz i get confused with all of them, cant differentiate, between them, its just as easy to create a fictitious name… -
- September 12, 2018 at 3:49 pm
Shouldn't that be Anonymice?
Seriously, I understand the reason for having the "anonymous" posting function, but I think it's overused here. Not only does it make it hard to differentiate the various anonymice, it also makes it hard to build a sense of community if everyone is posting anonymously.
-Rich
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- September 14, 2018 at 3:09 am
Exactly RichInLife2! You pointed out something that is VERY important for us on a personal basis, example, when i look up Rich’s bio, i can read & be reminded of his situation in his treatment, with Anonymouses,i see blank face, ghost, phantoms…i just dont like getting confused with all of them, its like looking in the “yellow pages” (racist remark unintended) for Yan Wang in Japan or Lak Nguyen in Vietnam… -
- September 12, 2018 at 3:47 pm
Exactly! I replied to a few anonymouses with incorrect answers according to their personal health issues cuz im confusing one for the other & the other,and the other… example one claimed they havnt had a surgery yet, and i wrote back saying “you said 3 days ago youve had 8 surgeries since 2009 and now yer saying you havnt had any surgeries? Couple other times i got them mixed up to i believe..Make up a nickname ONLY for MRF! LonelyMel65! MelSux456! ChemoAteMyEyeBrows77 its no nonsense… -
- September 12, 2018 at 4:56 pm
Hi Mike, I think you should create a start up like godaddy. For Anon names, maybe call it "BigDaddyMike"!!!
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- September 12, 2018 at 6:00 pm
Hahaha.. Iv always had a wild imagination i guess…lol
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- September 12, 2018 at 3:34 pm
Thanks Adam! I had a feeling youde write soon or a bit later! Iv told folks here about you & that (so far) youve been the one dealing with this God for saken Spam/Scam issue..
What ever you all do im trusting in ya’s, if there’s changes made to posting formats that may be a pain indah butt go for it! If helps to eliminate the bs do it!
Thanks again Adam…MelanomaMike -
- September 14, 2018 at 5:34 pm
Here's another reason I don't like Anonymous postings. (I run a rare disease medical support group myself, so I have some experience other than this board.)
As a medical disease resource, the members count on the board postings to have some level of expertise and trustworthiness. When folks can so easily post as "anonymous" there is no way to determine what level of expertise. Nothing personal, of course, but if I see a post from Janner or Celeste I feel pretty comfortable taking their advice to heart. "Anonymous" might be someone that joined the board yesterday … or might be a long-term melanoma survivor. I have no way to judge whether or not to trust that advice or explanations.
This is more than just an inconvenience, in my opinion. It's a disservice. YMMV
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- September 14, 2018 at 6:21 pm
Exactly! The way i look at it, if yer infected with Melanoma (or any cancer) OWN UP TO IT! its your new life now people! And, you just may get the help & support you deserve then if you remain in the Dark, labled Anonymous, scared, lonely, and possibly hungry…I also cant stand poems or littiture that ends in “Anonymous”, their just trying to create a sense of mystery..screw mystery…
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