Spammy members?

[Smokey]

How do you deal with spammy members? Not spam accounts that post nonsense or advertisements, I mean members who tend to post short-ish posts or they seem to be posting just for the sake of posting and making similar threads that don't really need to be made?

When issuing a warning, how do you handle it? Do you just let it go?

 

[Arantor]

I try to engage them (both in the past as an admin, and in the present as a regular poster) but I find this approach doesn’t usually get anywhere.

I find it kinda sad in a way - there’s an opportunity for a much richer or more interesting discussion but it ends up being boiled down to the most bland, most flavourless commentary it could be.

But surprisingly common if points are given to gamify participation.

 

[Darth Cognus]

It's a bit sticky because I know I've personally just stopped engaging with the sort of posting and it leaves a lot of vapid thread titles or 'interaction hooks' drifting around. Does it look lively? At a first glance. A second reveals how shallow it is and can very well lose a member if that's all recent activity is. So strategically I suppose I'd want to supplement with more substantial posting, leave the door open for the more spammy poster to interact meaningfully, and subtly try to raise the discourse around it so the spammy posting is an ill advised minority. It's a bit frustrating to get into an exchange if you've seen this a bit and know you'll either get no response or nothing very substantial, so the answer may be to pick up those lost tangents and infuse them with something useful if only to avoid this effect.

Without other errant behavior I'm afraid I'd be too lax on things like warning them or removing their content as 'low quality', I'd hardly want to penalize someone for interacting. I tend to think encouraging what you want is the best path to take but I haven't had to take this issue to its conclusion, so my take is just theoretical.

It's certainly more of a problem as Arantor notes if there is a gamified incentive to just make posts regardless of understanding or interest. I've even somewhat spammy posting AJ itself and through the services where people 'spice up' activity, ie, content bundles. This isn't to say CB posts are usually spammy but the issue and consequence from uninvolved people sucked in to just make posts on a forum outside their legitimate interest can be similar. For AJ, more halfway decent content drowns out the more vapid posting. For sites trying to spice up interaction using bundles, that might be a bit harder without changing strategy to attract more people with legitimate interest, and engaging specifically so they don't wander off to something more engaging.

 

[ZandraJoi]

While it can be annoying, it's a matter of perspective. What somebody deems spam, another may deem they are doing the best they can. Even if it's a simple one word answer. It doesn't bother me because I am not one to dictate what is a "good" versus "bad" post.

 

[Arantor]

While I try to have some sympathy with that viewpoint, it can be immensely frustrating to spend time composing a post, putting together a set of points to form a position and to make sure it reads the best it can, only to get a one line answer that ignores every point being made, in favour of a completely different (and frequently irrelevant) point.

 

[Kale]

I am to the point where users spamming or double posting doesn't bug me. Back in the old days of the Internet and forums it bugged every one I know. I used to be a spammy member and people got mad at me.

 

[Ravenfreak]

While it can be annoying, it's a matter of perspective. What somebody deems spam, another may deem they are doing the best they can. Even if it's a simple one word answer. It doesn't bother me because I am not one to dictate what is a "good" versus "bad" post.

I'm the same way myself. Some people may struggle to come up with longer posts whether it's due to the niche or perhaps their own personal struggles. I have fun engaging with members on my forum, at the end of the day my forums are for hanging out and having fun anyways.

 

[Jason]

Forum and blog comment links are probably not viewed as useful for SEO these days, so probably things aren't as bad as they used to be.

 

[Cory]

I don't seem to have this problem with my forum, but then again, most people come for resources and support. If a member was posting basic one-word posts or irrelevant posts to the topic at hand I would probably politely ask them to post more than basic responses and remain on-topic. If they continue to post spammy responses I may be forced to delete some of them if they have no real value to the topic. I would probably only take action in terms of suspension/banning if they were deliberately spamming.

 

[ZandraJoi]

I'm the same way myself. Some people may struggle to come up with longer posts whether it's due to the niche or perhaps their own personal struggles. I have fun engaging with members on my forum, at the end of the day my forums are for hanging out and having fun anyways.

I've seen some people be able to write long posts on a topic they are close to but clam up with something unfamiliar. Either way, they try & I'm just happy they take the time to frequent my forum to touch base.
I too have fun & enjoy the conversations. There's no competition.

 

[Shortie]

If I find a member to be quite spammy and just posting for the sake of posting, I tend to reach out to them and politely ask them to make their posts less spammy. This usually falls on deaf ears though and I end up having to issue warnings to the member in question.

I feel you can only say so much to them and if they do not listen, you do have to step it up a notch.

 

[Chris C]

If I find a member to be quite spammy and just posting for the sake of posting, I tend to reach out to them and politely ask them to make their posts less spammy. This usually falls on deaf ears though and I end up having to issue warnings to the member in question.

I feel you can only say so much to them and if they do not listen, you do have to step it up a notch.

There are spammy thread creators, and then spammy posters. Both are irritating, especially when it becomes apparent they are doing so simply to draw attention to themselves. Spammy thread creators are the worst. Sometimes their threads will get some activity, but usually it's just people being sarcastic, which sadly only encourages them as if they have created a popular thread. But I knew one member who was constantly posting "nice" things and being "complimentary" all the time, and for a good while I was none the wiser. Then one day I saw how hollow it was after he did it numerous times to me and it seemed to always be shallow and not very heartfelt, and then I realized he was deliberately posting meaningless nothings all the time just so he could be at the top of the "Most Posts" List and appear to be a "prominent" member even though his contributions invariably lacked substance. His community stock went WAY down with me after that.

How do you deal with spammy members? Not spam accounts that post nonsense or advertisements, I mean members who tend to post short-ish posts or they seem to be posting just for the sake of posting and making similar threads that don't really need to be made?

When issuing a warning, how do you handle it? Do you just let it go?

It's a judgment call as far as who you are dealing with and exactly what their motives are, but if it's someone just trying to be cute (and not succeeding) for self-serving purposes, I'd request privately that they start posting with more substance and not fill up the boards with hollow posts. If they ignore, I'd place them on a short ban. If they still ignore, place them on a longer ban, and if they still can't catch a clue let them go for good. It's offensive to people who actually take the time to post meaningful posts worth reading, and they should know better, especially after they've been warned repeatedly not to do it and still do.

 

[Heatman]

The question I always is, does what they post make any sense at all? If it did, there isn't much left for me to be itchy about. It's when they post nonsense, then it's worth giving them a friendly reminder. If they keep on doing it, I'll put their post on moderation.

 

[Nomad]

I do not like to issue warnings publicly. I will send a message and ask the user to create valuable content. If the user continue to disregard, I will ask him to leave the community.

 

[Henrywrites]

While it can be annoying, it's a matter of perspective. What somebody deems spam, another may deem they are doing the best they can. Even if it's a simple one word answer. It doesn't bother me because I am not one to dictate what is a "good" versus "bad" post.

This is valid when they are making Posts that are On-Topic. What about when they make Posts that are not following what is being discussed?

 

[ZandraJoi]

This is valid when they are making Posts that are On-Topic. What about when they make Posts that are not following what is being discussed?

I don't mind it going off-topic a bit; it happens a lot. But if the conversation has totally shifted, I encourage the members to start a brand new thread. It takes the original topic back & then they can still have further discussions starting anew.

 

[Jason]

I have to remove such posts. It's highly annoying and rude. It's disrespectful to the forum. I mean, get a clue.

Anyway, I won't ban such people, but if they keep it up, they will get the account disabled from being able to post (on my XenForo stuff).