Spam-related User Deletion/Cleanup

jburk · 2017-02-18 14:30:38

Hi all,

Due to a large number of spam accounts that have been created recently, we have purged the database of all users who registered but have never posted. I also elevated several accounts that seemed like real people.

I have removed the requirement to be approved prior to posting. New users should be able to post but we will monitor these entries to ensure there is no spam.

If you had a user account before, and have never posted to the forums, it is possible that your user account was deleted in this activity. Please go ahead and re-register for a new account. Let us know if you have any problems. - webmaster@marssociety.org

Thanks,

SpaceNut · 2020-09-06 16:19:11

Current registrations at 300 plus still during a months data point most will never post. Granted this may be lower than in the past but its quite high...

Have started on the backlog of accounts with no posts and visits since registering...

update
just completed the first (100) locking of registries in 2017 for Feb. which had 400 username created.

tahanson43206 · 2020-09-06 19:27:27

For SpaceNut re renewal of this topic from 2017 ...

I followed the registered users list (in descending order) back to where your banning is current.

Thanks for taking the time to attend to that.

Out of curiosity, I went to the first registration ... that is for Adrian, who participated all the way from 2001 to 2008.

I was curious to see what he's been up do, so I followed the link to his blog. It was updated in August of 2020. The writing is interesting enough so I followed it for several entries back, until I came to a commentary on a topic which isn't where my interests lie.

One thing's for sure! Adrian is still very much active and watching the world at large.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2020-09-06 19:40:54

Back in the days of blogs that was run on ikonboard
http://www.newmars.com/cgi-bin/ikonboar … T;f=4;t=21
Shooting down a spacecraft from Mars a 2002 topic is no longer here

There were artcles even on the home page

SpaceNut · 2020-09-07 20:46:55

cleaned up another 150 accounts locking them with the ban....

tahanson43206 · 2020-09-08 05:54:55

For SpaceNut re #5 and ID's left standing

You had said a while ago that you were inclined to leave ID's that looked (possibly) human.

I found Elisa Wilson from (about) 08/05 set up an email address, but I (as an ordinary member) cannot see what it is.

Out of curiosity, do you include the nature of an email address in your decision process?

Edit#1 ... as a follow up, I logged in as NewMarsMember and send an email to Ms. Wilson.

We receive hundreds of spam registrations every month.
Every now and then an ID shows up that looks as though it might for for a real person.
If you ** are ** a real person, please consider posting something relevant to one of the ongoing discussions.
Or, we have 20 years of history to choose from ... if one of the old topics seems interesting, you can bring it back into view by making a post.

Edit#2: wilsonelisa430

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2020-09-08 07:50:10)

SpaceNut · 2020-09-08 19:00:27

I also do other checks to see if a username is one being used by spammers by web searches of it, I also check for other users that have the same IP..
A partial user name of Wilson* search turns up a spammer account in the 2017 calendar year...The email for that one is very clear tell....

Also the password can be reset if forgotten....

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#1 2017-02-18 14:30:38

Spam-related User Deletion/Cleanup

#2 2020-09-06 16:19:11

Re: Spam-related User Deletion/Cleanup

#3 2020-09-06 19:27:27

Re: Spam-related User Deletion/Cleanup

#4 2020-09-06 19:40:54

Re: Spam-related User Deletion/Cleanup

#5 2020-09-07 20:46:55

Re: Spam-related User Deletion/Cleanup

#6 2020-09-08 05:54:55

Re: Spam-related User Deletion/Cleanup

#7 2020-09-08 19:00:27

Re: Spam-related User Deletion/Cleanup

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