Suggestion to cut down on spamming. (FIRST POST EDIT)

[Darkurai]

I know this definetaly isn't the right section, but this isn't really a forum dispute per se, and this section has the most spam, so I figured this would be a good place.

tl;dr version: Require people to make a post stating they have read the rules so we can hold them accountable for it from the beginning, and ignorant people will be aware of the rules and how the forum works. What do you think?

This is an idea that I found on a forum I once joined, but have long since forgotten the name of. What they did was simply forced people to read the rules before they could post. When you first joined, you would only have the privilages to post in one topic, and in that topic you would state that you have read the rules. Every moderator/administrator would be subscribed to that topic so as to know when someone posted that they've read the rules, and once they read the rules, they would be allowed to post.

The majority of the people on this forum who spam don't seem to know of the rules. I remember from when I first joined, there was a good week before I knew where the rules were, so I couldn't read them. I believe that many people are like this. If we point them to the rules from the beginning, then there's just that much spam prevented.

Now obviously some people simply wouldn't bother with reading the rules. But with that post, they would be held accountable for whatever they do, because they are expected to have read the rules. This allows the moderators to give infractions to anyone breaking the rules. As it stands now, most new people who haven't read the rules are not given infractions because they simply can't be expected to have already read the rules.

I deeply apologize if there actually is an appropriate place to post this, but to my knowledge there isn't. I know some could see this as spam since it's off-topic and thus is only part of the problem. But I ask any staff members who see this to at least consider this idea before casting it aside.

And to the standard members of the forum: What do you think of this idea? Is it fair? Is it too much? What's your opinion?

 

[Aggressive Possum]

This is spam dummy. You should of Pmed a mod.

 

[Golem the Stern Father]

^Get off Smashboards, there will be less blood^

I'm pretty sure that spammer accounts would claim to have read the rules and automatically break them. This would be helpful to newer members who have zero or little knowledge of a forum such as this.

My suggestion/Plan: Appending Doom (a prize for getting the reference) is creating a sticked thread called: "The Wall of Shame". This thread would have all usernames of thread creators and posters, exposing them to the public in a shameful way. (I'm somewhat frustrated at those who post in spam just to increase his/her post count) Of coarse, this thread would have to be locked by a mod, so no spamming ensues.

I'm up for any ideas that decrease the amount of spam, especially on the General Brawl forums.
Isn't that right, Demon Kirby.

 

[Darkurai]

I'm pretty sure that spammer accounts would claim to have read the rules and automatically break them. This would be helpful to newer members who have zero or little knowledge of a forum such as this.

Well, that's exactly the point. The ones that have little to no knowledge often break the rules unknowingly, so thus spammers can pass themselves off as not knowing enough, and won't be given infractions early on, thus extending the time they're here.

In this scenario, the people with little to no knowledge would not spam in the first place, clearing up the boards a bit on its own. Without any people like this, the spammers would be identified earlier on and given infractions earlier.

 

[Darkurai]

I feel so bad double-posting to bump this...but I remembered which forum it was I got this idea from.
It was the Nuklear Power Forums, the forum to 8-Bit Theatre.

For reference, this is the post the moderator made at the begninning of the thread.

Post in this thread to state that you accept, understand and will abide by the rules we made.

Just type "I accept the rules."

Nothing less, nothing more. Do not be funny, do not post "your rules suck" or whatever. Prove you are capable of being reasonably mature by simply saying "I accept the rules."

Once that is done, you will gain access to the rest of the forum. Until that is done however you are doomed to read the rules FOREVARS. Ok?

Anyways, that's that. This is the only post you can make in this forum so make **** sure it is what I specified. If you thereafter break the rules, there is no avoiding the fact that you willingly stated that you would accept them, and so the punishment can't really be whined about. Keep in mind that we do take serious complaints openly, though.

Let it also be known that semantics do not work. Trying to get around the point of this thread by manipulating words or substituting others will not work.

Also, if you are viewing this thread and have been registered for ages, my apologies, I implemented a blanket usergroup move for everyone who has 0 posts. Forgive me if you are the eternal lurker.

Also note: we do check this thread every now and then, but if you have a specific question, it's advised you send a private message to a mod or admin. That way you'll be sure to get a reply and won't have to wait until one of us happens across your entry.

It's also very affective in keeping spambots from accessing the forum.

 

[the_Capt_Falcon_Master]

this is an interesting idea, but i don't think this would stop spammers. They could simply just say they will follow the rules then not do it. Really its just the honor system. Theres nothing truely stopping them from spamming.

 

[XACE-K]

I like this idea but it will probably never happen.

 

[Darkurai]

this is an interesting idea, but i don't think this would stop spammers. They could simply just say they will follow the rules then not do it. Really its just the honor system. Theres nothing truely stopping them from spamming.

Well, there's also this:
As it stands now, there are few people who spam just for the sake of spamming. Many people simply are ignorant of the rules, thus they do not follow them. Getting these people to read the rules right from the beginning already gets rid of a great deal of spam. Even if it doesn't eliminate all of the spam, it certainly gets rid of a lot, and as specified above, it also completely protects against spambots.

 

[the_Capt_Falcon_Master]

Well, there's also this:
As it stands now, there are few people who spam just for the sake of spamming. Many people simply are ignorant of the rules, thus they do not follow them. Getting these people to read the rules right from the beginning already gets rid of a great deal of spam. Even if it doesn't eliminate all of the spam, it certainly gets rid of a lot, and as specified above, it also completely protects against spambots.

mmm i guess so, i think another idea is to have new fourm goers go to the "simple question simple answer" thread. That way they won't be spamming up other threads asking questions and creating unecessary threads.

 

[Darkurai]

mmm i guess so, i think another idea is to have new fourm goers go to the "simple question simple answer" thread. That way they won't be spamming up other threads asking questions and creating unecessary threads.

The problem there, however, is that new users evidentally don't look at stickies that easily. If they did, they'd see such things as the complaint thread, the rules thread, etc. This isn't just telling users to go to a thread, this is forcing them to read, accept, and abide by the rules, something they should be doing anyway, but don't.

 

[the_Capt_Falcon_Master]

well what i am saying is that if your idea comes to be then after going through the rules they are taken directly to the thread i mentioned. That way there is no navigation involved just yet. And that way they can get out any initial questions they have.

 

[Darkurai]

well what i am saying is that if your idea comes to be then after going through the rules they are taken directly to the thread i mentioned. That way there is no navigation involved just yet. And that way they can get out any initial questions they have.

Ah yes, that does sound like a good idea, however I don't think it would be that easy to implement, so they could simply provide a link to the thread in the rules.

 

[the_Capt_Falcon_Master]

well the way i thought of it was that they go through the rules, and after clicking the "I accept the rules" button they are taken to another screen saying "You will now be taken to a thread where you can ask any questions you have about the fourms or smash bros. games in general". Then they would be taken to the thread.

 

[Darkurai]

well the way i thought of it was that they go through the rules, and after clicking the "I accept the rules" button they are taken to another screen saying "You will now be taken to a thread where you can ask any questions you have about the fourms or smash bros. games in general". Then they would be taken to the thread.

In theory it sounds like a great idea. I just don't know if it can actually be done given the technological way the forum works.

 

[Mic_128]

I'd suggest either PM Kirby King or post it in the Questions and Suggestions thread in the Pool Room.

 

[mariofanpm12]

So basically the person has to make a post saying they read the rules?

After that, if they spam then they could be punished because they broke the rules after having read them, and there'd be proof.

Hmm...

 

[Youko]

See, the thing is, a link to the rules are in the Announcements, which are at the top of every board above the stickies. So people can't really say they don't exist, and it's just their own ignorance.

And personally, I've been tossing around the idea for a while of making a sticky called "Post in here and you will be banned" to cut down on spammers.

 

[Darkurai]

See, the thing is, a link to the rules are in the Announcements, which are at the top of every board above the stickies. So people can't really say they don't exist, and it's just their own ignorance.

And personally, I've been tossing around the idea for a while of making a sticky called "Post in here and you will be banned" to cut down on spammers.

I heard about that on the show. Frankly, it wouldn't work too well either. As I said, there's a good amount of people like myself early on who simply don't look at the announcements or stickies, thus they would miss such a thread entirely.

I'll take Mic's suggestion and post this in the correct place when I'm not on the Wii browser.