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- 124816
- Scratcher
26 posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
What is a CAPTCHA? Is it used for security? What about a CAPTCHA like this one?
Last edited by 124816 (Nov. 27, 2013 22:19:42)
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- ErnieParke
- Scratcher
1000+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
Yes it is. Captcha is some text or words shown in a somewhat confusing way. Humans can still read it though. Computers cannot. That's very helpful because spammers out there have computers always making accounts, and each of those accounts are posting spam. With captcha, a computer can no longer make accounts, and hence no spam.What is a CAPTCHA? Is it used for security? What about a CAPTCHA like this one?
The problem is that Scratch doesn't have captcha or anything in the registration that's against spammers. The other bad news is that even if captcha is added, it'd have to be unique because there's a program called XRumer which can get past captcha.
Do you see how this is important?
Reviewing,
ErnieParke
- cheddargirl
- Scratch Team
1000+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
Before we start thinking out other ways to consider how to stop spambots, you guys do have to consider the human component. Now unless you can prove how a bot can avoid account blocks and create appeal messages, I'm more likely to believe that a good handful of our spammers are human (or, if a bot is involved, it's a bot that is under human control at the time of posting and can avoid measures that are designed to stop spambots in their tracks).
Sadly, my forum signature was eaten by an evil kumquat.
- ScratchJahd2011
- Scratcher
500+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
Before we start thinking out other ways to consider how to stop spambots, you guys do have to consider the human component. Now unless you can prove how a bot can avoid account blocks and create appeal messages, I'm more likely to believe that a good handful of our spammers are human (or, if a bot is involved, it's a bot that is under human control at the time of posting and can avoid measures that are designed to stop spambots in their tracks).
Ohh, didn't think of that. I WAS thinking, of human spammers, see, they can STILL click the red button, and they can STILL spam, how about adding a small fill-up survey about what is the registrant's motives in making a Scratch Account? I also think that would be to complicated for younger children, but their parents can help them there right?
…..
- scimonster
- Scratcher
1000+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
But do you really think that spammers will write "I'm here to SEO. Go [my company]!" or whatever? [H]ow about adding a small fill-up survey about what is the registrant's motives in making a Scratch Account? I also think that would be to complicated for younger children, but their parents can help them there right?
Retired Community Moderator
BTW, i run Google Chrome 41.0.2272.101 on a Linux system - Ubuntu 14.04. NEW: iPad 4th gen. w/retina.
418 I'm a teapot (original - to be read by bored computer geeks)
THE GAME (you just lost)
; THE SEMICOLON LIVES ON IN OUR SIGS
- ScratchJahd2011
- Scratcher
500+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
But do you really think that spammers will write "I'm here to SEO. Go [my company]!" or whatever? [H]ow about adding a small fill-up survey about what is the registrant's motives in making a Scratch Account? I also think that would be to complicated for younger children, but their parents can help them there right?
I mean a survey that they CHOOSE the answers, not write them. But that would pose a new problem altogether…
…..
- scimonster
- Scratcher
1000+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
In any case, do you think a spammer would openly admit it?But do you really think that spammers will write "I'm here to SEO. Go [my company]!" or whatever? [H]ow about adding a small fill-up survey about what is the registrant's motives in making a Scratch Account? I also think that would be to complicated for younger children, but their parents can help them there right?
I mean a survey that they CHOOSE the answers, not write them. But that would pose a new problem altogether…
Retired Community Moderator
BTW, i run Google Chrome 41.0.2272.101 on a Linux system - Ubuntu 14.04. NEW: iPad 4th gen. w/retina.
418 I'm a teapot (original - to be read by bored computer geeks)
THE GAME (you just lost)
; THE SEMICOLON LIVES ON IN OUR SIGS
- ProdigyZeta7
- Scratcher
1000+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
Why not have the forums parser “destroy” outside links posted by New Scratchers? Let me rephrase that: when a New Scratcher goes to post a link to a website outside of Scratch, the link will be ignored once it is parsed, so in the data that is sent to the database the link will not exist in the post.
Either that or if external links are found in a post, a red alert will appear and say “You cannot post links outside of scratch.mit.edu!” and the post will be rejected.
How about that?
Either that or if external links are found in a post, a red alert will appear and say “You cannot post links outside of scratch.mit.edu!” and the post will be rejected.
How about that?
- Lirex
- Scratcher
500+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
This is a great idea!
Last edited by Lirex (Nov. 28, 2013 17:59:26)
- Deerleg
- Scratcher
1000+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
How would that help? Why not have the forums parser “destroy” outside links posted by New Scratchers? Let me rephrase that: when a New Scratcher goes to post a link to a website outside of Scratch, the link will be ignored once it is parsed, so in the data that is sent to the database the link will not exist in the post.
Either that or if external links are found in a post, a red alert will appear and say “You cannot post links outside of scratch.mit.edu!” and the post will be rejected.
How about that?
- scimonster
- Scratcher
1000+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
But then legitimate New Scratchers can't post legitimate external links. Why not have the forums parser “destroy” outside links posted by New Scratchers? Let me rephrase that: when a New Scratcher goes to post a link to a website outside of Scratch, the link will be ignored once it is parsed, so in the data that is sent to the database the link will not exist in the post.
Either that or if external links are found in a post, a red alert will appear and say “You cannot post links outside of scratch.mit.edu!” and the post will be rejected.
How about that?
And also, many spammers don't even use the [url] tag.
Retired Community Moderator
BTW, i run Google Chrome 41.0.2272.101 on a Linux system - Ubuntu 14.04. NEW: iPad 4th gen. w/retina.
418 I'm a teapot (original - to be read by bored computer geeks)
THE GAME (you just lost)
; THE SEMICOLON LIVES ON IN OUR SIGS
- GreenDog3
- Scratcher
100+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
I have an idea. Bots are computers, right? How about – no wait. people might not have webcams. Nvm. But the idea was: How about if they don't see a person in a webcam, the account will be rejected?
EDIT: but laptops are increasingly popular, and they ALWAYS come with webcams, right?
EDIT: but laptops are increasingly popular, and they ALWAYS come with webcams, right?
Last edited by GreenDog3 (Nov. 28, 2013 20:16:11)
when green flag clicked
if <[Scratch Team] = [Reading this]> then
say [Why are the scratchblocks still in the style of 2.0?]
- NoxSpooth
- Scratcher
1000+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
No way. Not everyone uses laptops and/or has webcams. I have an idea. Bots are computers, right? How about – no wait. people might not have webcams. Nvm. But the idea was: How about if they don't see a person in a webcam, the account will be rejected?
EDIT: but laptops are increasingly popular, and they ALWAYS come with webcams, right?
- Lirex
- Scratcher
500+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
+Some people may not want that a website can use their webcam… Also this won't solve the issue about real people spamming.No way. Not everyone uses laptops and/or has webcams. I have an idea. Bots are computers, right? How about – no wait. people might not have webcams. Nvm. But the idea was: How about if they don't see a person in a webcam, the account will be rejected?
EDIT: but laptops are increasingly popular, and they ALWAYS come with webcams, right?
Last edited by Lirex (Nov. 28, 2013 20:30:14)
- ProdigyZeta7
- Scratcher
1000+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
Right. Maybe I could expand that so links to wikipedia and google are allowed…But then legitimate New Scratchers can't post legitimate external links. Why not have the forums parser “destroy” outside links posted by New Scratchers? Let me rephrase that: when a New Scratcher goes to post a link to a website outside of Scratch, the link will be ignored once it is parsed, so in the data that is sent to the database the link will not exist in the post.
Either that or if external links are found in a post, a red alert will appear and say “You cannot post links outside of scratch.mit.edu!” and the post will be rejected.
How about that?
- Pipko411
- Scratcher
100+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
I must join this!
<[Scratchers] > [spambots]>
hey I'm becca! scratch's resident old witch
when I receive [Falco]
forever
broadcast [Up Tilt]
end
- Rumanti
- Scratcher
1000+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
I think we should be creative with the captchas. (whatever. I almost never need to spell it ) Nowdays, peoples needs to be creative to survive. I vote to have unique securities, so that it'll that longer time to hack, because it's different than most websites. *designing a security system, I'll share it when it's done.*
:wq
- Rumanti
- Scratcher
1000+ posts
Spambot activity - How you can stop it
Yes, I agree. It's against my privacy. Someone could hack Scratch and see my face! Lol.+Some people may not want that a website can use their webcam… Also this won't solve the issue about real people spamming.No way. Not everyone uses laptops and/or has webcams. I have an idea. Bots are computers, right? How about – no wait. people might not have webcams. Nvm. But the idea was: How about if they don't see a person in a webcam, the account will be rejected?
EDIT: but laptops are increasingly popular, and they ALWAYS come with webcams, right?
:wq
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