Ooh, you can have a picture of like a famous pokemon that everyone knows, like pikachu, and ask what the pokemon is!
Or, ask a question related to an anime/manga that a human can easily find the answer to by searching online.
I don't think a machine can do either of those. :D
Last edited by lhtkid at 7:14:18 PM CST on January 30, 2012.
That's alot of spam accounts. In all my times here, I only had 1 encounter with one of these. It was a little weird too.
Besides a CAPTCHA, I'm sure there's another way to protect the site against things like this.
Here's a wild idea. Since this is an anime/manga/game site, how about doing an anime/manga/game version of an image CAPTCHA, like the one in Picatcha and KittenAuth? The question, of course, would be a very easy one that even a casual fan can answer, like asking the user to click on the 3 anime characters from a set of 9 images.
Last edited by The Mask at 11:42:37 AM CST on January 26, 2012.
I'm not sure if these spam bots are the same as what I keep encountering...this member that keeps coming back, stealing the username of someone on deviantart, posting their artwork as their own, as well as plagiarized wallpapers and e-cards. I keep reporting their works, and I assume one of their accounts is banned, but they keep coming back. :/
Regardless, I think anything to prevent spam bots and anything of the sort would be a help.
The Silent (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 01/26/12 | Reply
Ah yes, I did happen to notice one of those accounts. Already referred it to the team, and it has been removed. I'll keep an eye out for those. Good luck waging the war on the machines.
A system that another forum maker implemented recently seems to have some promise - a hidden field. Throw up an alternate email field, or something similar and hide it using CSS. Bots don't actually fill out forms - they submit the data directly using the named form elements. So, during registration, check if this hidden field is filled in and, if it is, don't submit the registration.
I'd use this in combination with either a captcha (I personally like reCAPTCHA as it's not as absurd and impossible to read as others) or the question/answer system already proposed.
Abundant Love (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 01/26/12 | Reply
An alternate method of human verification that tends to work well is the question and answer thing that The Mask mentioned. Just make up a decent size list of questions that anyone should know and make people answer a random one from the list upon registering.
In the case of OB, I think the recent influx of spam accounts is due to a hole in the forum software's security than from insufficient verification methods, though. The verification we use hasn't changed in years, and the only time we get mass spam accounts is when the software becomes too outdated.
Last edited by Desbreko at 2:17:39 AM CST on January 26, 2012.
No surprise there. I hear from Des that they're getting more over at OB too. The image thing may be annoying but it is nice for cutting down on spam bots.
I don't see what's wrong with CAPTCHAs. I really think they are quite useful. May I know why you don't like them?
In one web service that I used before, it asked the user to solve a simple math equation (ex. 8 + 4 = ?) before he/she is able to register or post something. Maybe that would work better for you.
Last edited by The Mask at 1:30:06 AM CST on January 26, 2012.
Aria Sky
Senior Otaku | Posted 01/30/12 | Reply
Ooh, you can have a picture of like a famous pokemon that everyone knows, like pikachu, and ask what the pokemon is!
Or, ask a question related to an anime/manga that a human can easily find the answer to by searching online.
I don't think a machine can do either of those. :D
Last edited by lhtkid at 7:14:18 PM CST on January 30, 2012.
ElementalNinja
Daemon Devourer (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 01/28/12 | Reply
That's alot of spam accounts. In all my times here, I only had 1 encounter with one of these. It was a little weird too.
Besides a CAPTCHA, I'm sure there's another way to protect the site against things like this.
XkeyofdestinyX
Psychopath (Grand Otaku) | Posted 01/27/12 | Reply
I wish I had an idea how to help fix this problem. Are you sure they won't made by people?
Ich such dich unter jedem Stein Wo bist du Ich schlaf mit einem Messer ein
The Mask
Detective Mask (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 01/26/12 | Reply
Here's a wild idea. Since this is an anime/manga/game site, how about doing an anime/manga/game version of an image CAPTCHA, like the one in Picatcha and KittenAuth? The question, of course, would be a very easy one that even a casual fan can answer, like asking the user to click on the 3 anime characters from a set of 9 images.
Last edited by The Mask at 11:42:37 AM CST on January 26, 2012.
"Students, be ambitious!"
Angel Zakuro
bird nerd. (Otaku Angel) | Posted 01/26/12 | Reply
I'm not sure if these spam bots are the same as what I keep encountering...this member that keeps coming back, stealing the username of someone on deviantart, posting their artwork as their own, as well as plagiarized wallpapers and e-cards. I keep reporting their works, and I assume one of their accounts is banned, but they keep coming back. :/
Regardless, I think anything to prevent spam bots and anything of the sort would be a help.
snow fox
The Silent (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 01/26/12 | Reply
Ah yes, I did happen to notice one of those accounts. Already referred it to the team, and it has been removed. I'll keep an eye out for those. Good luck waging the war on the machines.
Petie
Otaku Legend | Posted 01/26/12 | Reply
A system that another forum maker implemented recently seems to have some promise - a hidden field. Throw up an alternate email field, or something similar and hide it using CSS. Bots don't actually fill out forms - they submit the data directly using the named form elements. So, during registration, check if this hidden field is filled in and, if it is, don't submit the registration.
I'd use this in combination with either a captcha (I personally like reCAPTCHA as it's not as absurd and impossible to read as others) or the question/answer system already proposed.
Desbreko
Abundant Love (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 01/26/12 | Reply
An alternate method of human verification that tends to work well is the question and answer thing that The Mask mentioned. Just make up a decent size list of questions that anyone should know and make people answer a random one from the list upon registering.
In the case of OB, I think the recent influx of spam accounts is due to a hole in the forum software's security than from insufficient verification methods, though. The verification we use hasn't changed in years, and the only time we get mass spam accounts is when the software becomes too outdated.
Last edited by Desbreko at 2:17:39 AM CST on January 26, 2012.
SunfallE
Nyaa~ (ZE MEANIE) | Posted 01/26/12 | Reply
No surprise there. I hear from Des that they're getting more over at OB too. The image thing may be annoying but it is nice for cutting down on spam bots.
In the name of the tune I will punish you!
The Mask
Detective Mask (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 01/26/12 | Reply
I don't see what's wrong with CAPTCHAs. I really think they are quite useful. May I know why you don't like them?
In one web service that I used before, it asked the user to solve a simple math equation (ex. 8 + 4 = ?) before he/she is able to register or post something. Maybe that would work better for you.
Last edited by The Mask at 1:30:06 AM CST on January 26, 2012.
"Students, be ambitious!"
Schultzie
Getaway Driver (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 01/26/12 | Reply
Hrm, Im not sure of any other way to combat spam bots. Here is to hoping that you find a better way to fight the irritating beasts of the internet.
TheDarkAngel
Pathetic Diabetic (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 01/26/12 | Reply
This picture kinda creeps me out, do I dare click it?
I hate CAPTCHAs too... but, if we need 'em, we need 'em...
Good luck, Bossman. We'll be behind you all the way!
~yosei~
And, then... I met you.