Spam - Or Why I Rarely Come Here

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I think I posted twice last year and about half a dozen times in 2014. I used to be a regular member, but this place got overwhelmed by spammers.

I have had some helpful answers to a question I asked in the web design forum a couple of weeks ago. However, I have reported about six posts for spam/self-promotion - two of them today.

I'm out of here again. This is how it was before - I'd come on here to read and spend more time reporting spam posts.

I feel sad for new members coming here to learn.
#rarely #spam
  • Profile picture of the author rritz
    Sorry you feel that way. I have only been here since last year and I got a lot of helpful answers to my questions, and more often than ask I come here to try and help people who are looking for answers. I have not had the urge to report a spam post yet, I rarely come across them and if I do I just navigate away.


    Originally Posted by rosetrees View Post

    I think I posted twice last year and about half a dozen times in 2014. I used to be a regular member, but this place got overwhelmed by spammers.

    I have had some helpful answers to a question I asked in the web design forum a couple of weeks ago. However, I have reported about six posts for spam/self-promotion - two of them today.

    I'm out of here again. This is how it was before - I'd come on here to read and spend more time reporting spam posts.

    I feel sad for new members coming here to learn.
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    • Profile picture of the author wolfmmiii
      Originally Posted by rritz View Post

      Sorry you feel that way. I have only been here since last year and I got a lot of helpful answers to my questions, and more often than ask I come here to try and help people who are looking for answers. I have not had the urge to report a spam post yet, I rarely come across them and if I do I just navigate away.
      You are part of the problem with this forum. Long time members were far more diligent at policing the site. Now, nobody does - and the site has suffered immensely.
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  • I understand what you mean. I rarely posted last year and only got back recently. I learned to ignore the spammers. I'm choosing to focus on helping those who really need help.
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  • Profile picture of the author Everblue
    Hello rosetrees,

    You shouldn't be frustrated by the number of spammers.

    In fact you should expect an overwhelming number of spammers...

    Consider the following:

    Most popular forum in it's niche (1)
    +
    Niche = Digital Marketing (2)

    (1) + (2) = a Hell of a spammers... It's unavoidable
    Just train your eyes to ignore them.

    Cheers.
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    • Profile picture of the author wolfmmiii
      Originally Posted by Everblue View Post

      Hello rosetrees,

      You shouldn't be frustrated by the number of spammers.

      In fact you should expect an overwhelming number of spammers...

      Consider the following:

      Most popular forum in it's niche (1)
      +
      Niche = Digital Marketing (2)

      (1) + (2) = a Hell of a spammers... It's unavoidable
      Just train your eyes to ignore them.

      Cheers.
      You have no frame of reference to make that statement. The long time members have watched this forum devolve into a free for all. There was a time when a spam post wouldn't stay up for 10 minutes.
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  • Profile picture of the author nwik
    I feel bad to hear about that.

    But as a new member here, I am enjoying every bit of this forum. The members seem to all be friendly.

    This is not only about social interaction but more on broadening my horizon.
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  • Profile picture of the author Andrew Fox
    I discern the "target fixation" syndrome, don't worry about it! IM is the most exciting thing ever, take some time off and enjoy life. That's the power of automation.
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  • Profile picture of the author wolfmmiii
    As a new member you wouldn't realize it but the "info" and "help" that newbies are getting from this forum nowadays is flat out awful compared to the kind of insight that was provided even a year ago.

    Newbies wouldn't know this because they are, well, newbies. Basically, new members of this forum simply "don't know what they don't know".

    I'm one of the few members left that actually knows FROM EXPERIENCE what I am talking about. Many of the more knowledgeable people that I used to argue/debate with are long gone. I mean, some have stuck around but, for the most part, this place is a shell of what it once was.
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  • Profile picture of the author discrat
    Originally Posted by rosetrees View Post

    I think I posted twice last year and about half a dozen times in 2014. I used to be a regular member, but this place got overwhelmed by spammers.

    I have had some helpful answers to a question I asked in the web design forum a couple of weeks ago. However, I have reported about six posts for spam/self-promotion - two of them today.

    I'm out of here again. This is how it was before - I'd come on here to read and spend more time reporting spam posts.

    I feel sad for new members coming here to learn.
    Well, I have been here awhile and there has ALWAYS been Spam/. And there ALWAYS will be. I know it has gotten worse but not sure it really is helpful towards any solution to make a Thread about it.

    Not trying to be disrespectful but I have always thought starting Threads like this served little purpose especially when we all know about this and this is nothing newI
    In the past when I got frustrated I just left. I figured no need to be formal about it
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    Nothing to see here including a Sig so just move on :)

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    • Profile picture of the author salegurus
      Originally Posted by discrat View Post

      Well, I have been here awhile and there has ALWAYS been Spam/. And there ALWAYS will be. I know it has gotten worse but not sure it really is helpful towards any solution to make a Thread about it.

      Not trying to be disrespectful but I have always thought starting Threads like this served little purpose especially when we all know about this and this is nothing newI
      In the past when I got frustrated I just left. I figured no need to be formal about it
      I respectfully disagree Robert... These threads may seem to be a waste of time to you but i think it's good to shine a light on the problems facing this forum every now and then...

      What happens if we all "just left" you know that most of the reporting and self policing is done by long time members like us. The new members most of them from ESL countries don't seem to give a damn....

      Theo
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    Newbies wouldn't know this because they are, well, newbies. Basically, new members of this forum simply "don't know what they don't know".
    Even more - it's become a global forum where the majority of new members are from ESL countries. The focus/purpose/style of the WF has changed in the past 2 years and maybe it's a natural progression.

    Let's get honest - "broadening my horizon" - IM speak for "getting my link shown as many times as I can here". Not saying it's a bad thing - but it adds to the nonsense at times.

    There's a lot of 'static' here now that would not have been permitted in the past. The WF has gone from a top marketing info forum to a newbie promotional forum. Many long term members have stop contributing here - and this forum is poorer for it. It is what it is.

    Robert is right -there has always been spam. But the spam and the nonsense posts, bumping of old threads, self promotional post after post - would never have lasted for hours or days in the past as they do now. It's the balance that has changed and, again, maybe that's just time moving on.
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  • Profile picture of the author superowid
    Originally Posted by rosetrees View Post

    I feel sad for new members coming here to learn.
    Very sorry for that. But you can always do what Kay King's signature said:
    Saving one dog may not change the world - but forever changes the world of one dog.

    Bad thing happens more not because of more bad people do it,
    but because more good people do nothing against it.
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  • Profile picture of the author agmccall
    Think of the problems on this forum. Think of this post. Why was it posted in the main marketing forum? It is not about marketing. Should it not be in the off topic forum? This post is part of the problem here. By the way, this is one of the posts I have reported to be moved today.

    al
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve B
    I have always considered the WF a microcosm of the Internet in general . . . ever-changing and dynamic, going through growing pains, open to whomever desires to contribute, prone to attacks by anyone who wants to manipulate the system, and becoming more difficult with age to sort through the mire to find the gold.

    To me, the way to ensure that the forum meets its mission is to have the ownership be diligent about setting smart rules and enforcing them.

    But I have come to realize that the ownership's financial goals for the WF are not the same as the educational and interactive goals that most of the members hold for the site.

    Freelancer is here to make money . . . and the money coming from spammers spends just like money from contributing forum members.

    The Golden Rule applies here . . . He who has the Gold rules! Freelancer can spend money keeping spammers out or they can welcome them with open arms if there's a profit in it.

    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author onSubie
      Originally Posted by Steve B View Post

      Freelancer is here to make money . . . and the money coming from spammers spends just like money from contributing forum members.

      I don't think those are the kind of spammers she is taking about.

      Most of the SPAM is bot produced, SEONukeX delivered garbage for finding a mate using witchcraft....

      That generates no income for Freelancer and turns the forums into an unreadable mess.
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    • Profile picture of the author discrat
      Originally Posted by Steve B View Post

      I have always considered the WF a microcosm of the Internet in general . . . ever-changing and dynamic, going through growing pains, open to whomever desires to contribute, prone to attacks by anyone who wants to manipulate the system, and becoming more difficult with age to sort through the mire to find the gold.

      To me, the way to ensure that the forum meets its mission is to have the ownership be diligent about setting smart rules and enforcing them.

      But I have come to realize that the ownership's financial goals for the WF are not the same as the educational and interactive goals that most of the members hold for the site.

      Freelancer is here to make money . . . and the money coming from spammers spends just like money from contributing forum members.

      The Golden Rule applies here . . . He who has the Gold rules! Freelancer can spend money keeping spammers out or they can welcome them with open arms if there's a profit in it.

      Steve
      As has been pointed out this is generally NOT the Spam most are referring too. Of course there are scammers which is a huge problem but that is in some respects different.

      Most Scams are considered a form of Spam but NOT all Spam is a scam !! And many times does NOT involve any sort of money being exchanged

      I think actually FL has grown in the last few months and is getting better and better at cleaning up the mess.

      I see stuff being removed almost immediately...the trashy stuff.

      Of course it could be better and there is still issues to confront !
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      Nothing to see here including a Sig so just move on :)

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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    Steve -

    Nailed it!
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanthepr0
    Another "feelings" post. I'll never get my 30 seconds back.
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  • Profile picture of the author alistair
    What's an ESL country? I suspect it means English speaking language but not sure.
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    • Profile picture of the author Christopher Fox
      Originally Posted by alistair View Post

      What's an ESL country? I suspect it means English speaking language but not sure.
      English as a SECOND language. A lot of people here have a problem with the influx of people from these countries. Ya know, the people that FOR YEARS, when this forum was supposedly so much better, were talked about on this forum as cheap labor. It was all 'cool' then, ya know, back when this forum was supposedly so much more super awesome and less filled with garbage, but now that those people want to try to do the same thing - be a business owner instead of cheap, damn near EXPLOITED, labor, well it's a problem, and the ESL folks have 'ruined' the forum.

      As far as self policing? This forum makes enough money that they can moderate themselves. Ain't my job, and this forum has made money off of me, so I figure they can do it like pretty much every other forum - forum owners are responsible for moderating, not me.

      I come here to interact with other members, not be a moderator for the forum - they can pay me if they want me to do that, lol, and hit the report button all of the time.

      It is 2016, guys and gals, you want 'real' info without all of those ESL folks 'ruining' it, get ready to fork out $100/month for forums like Stack That Money.

      So we are clear, I have NO PROBLEMS with the ESL folks (like other people here do), and believe a rising tide should raise all boats, not just us privileged people born to countries like the US/Can/UK/etc. that have spent the last couple centuries ASSET STRIPPING countries like India - their English is one helluva lot better than my Hindi or Tagalog, and I am thankful for that, as it allows me to communicate with people on the other side of the globe.

      This 'mess' all ya'll are cryin' about was created by the very 'experts', years ago, you say have left the forum, with all of the WSOs on outsourcing, arbitrage, etc. ...
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      • Profile picture of the author salegurus
        Originally Posted by Christopher Fox View Post

        English as a SECOND language. A lot of people here have a problem with the influx of people from these countries. Ya know, the people that FOR YEARS, when this forum was supposedly so much better, were talked about on this forum as cheap labor. It was all 'cool' then, ya know, back when this forum was supposedly so much more super awesome and less filled with garbage, but now that those people want to try to do the same thing - be a business owner instead of cheap, damn near EXPLOITED, labor, well it's a problem, and the ESL folks have 'ruined' the forum.

        As far as self policing? This forum makes enough money that they can moderate themselves. Ain't my job, and this forum has made money off of me, so I figure they can do it like pretty much every other forum - forum owners are responsible for moderating, not me.

        I come here to interact with other members, not be a moderator for the forum - they can pay me if they want me to do that, lol, and hit the report button all of the time.

        It is 2016, guys and gals, you want 'real' info without all of those ESL folks 'ruining' it, get ready to fork out $100/month for forums like Stack That Money.

        So we are clear, I have NO PROBLEMS with the ESL folks (like other people here do), and believe a rising tide should raise all boats, not just us privileged people born to countries like the US/Can/UK/etc. that have spent the last couple centuries ASSET STRIPPING countries like India - their English is one helluva lot better than my Hindi or Tagalog, and I am thankful for that, as it allows me to communicate with people on the other side of the globe.

        This 'mess' all ya'll are cryin' about was created by the very 'experts', years ago, you say have left the forum, with all of the WSOs on outsourcing, arbitrage, etc. ...


        Oh get over yourself.... You assume way too much.....
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        • Profile picture of the author Cali16
          Originally Posted by salegurus View Post



          Oh get over yourself.... You assume way too much.....
          Lol, you took the words right out of my mouth!!
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        • Profile picture of the author Christopher Fox
          Originally Posted by salegurus View Post



          Oh get over yourself.... You assume way too much.....
          No, I read the warrior forum, and the comments from people, as well as having watched the whole thing for a few years. You and I have a different opinion is all. This is not a matter of 'me getting over myself', but a matter of a difference of opinion.

          What a stupid thing fir you to say ...
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          • Profile picture of the author anwiii
            Originally Posted by Christopher Fox View Post

            No, I read the warrior forum, and the comments from people, as well as having watched the whole thing for a few years. You and I have a different opinion is all. This is not a matter of 'me getting over myself', but a matter of a difference of opinion.

            What a stupid thing fir you to say ...
            i think most responsible members who like to keep the community clean would disagree with ya. so yea....there is a difference of opinion. for instance, just because you think it's not your responsibility to report spam doesn't mean you are a responsible person. this is still a community after all and if people want to belong to a community, they should do their due diligence to be responsible within it. otherwise, i feel there is a hidden agenda somewhere.

            anyway, long story short, i will never care about any member who chooses not to hit the report button if they feel a rule is being broken to help clean up a community they choose to be a part of. oh....and the spammers must loooooooove ya for thinking it's not your responsibility to hit a button.
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            • Profile picture of the author yukon
              Banned
              Originally Posted by anwiii View Post

              i think most responsible members who like to keep the community clean would disagree with ya. so yea....there is a difference of opinion. for instance, just because you think it's not your responsibility to report spam doesn't mean you are a responsible person. this is still a community after all and if people want to belong to a community, they should do their due diligence to be responsible within it. otherwise, i feel there is a hidden agenda somewhere.

              anyway, long story short, i will never care about any member who chooses not to hit the report button if they feel a rule is being broken to help clean up a community they choose to be a part of. oh....and the spammers must loooooooove ya for thinking it's not your responsibility to hit a button.



              The guilt trip is silly.

              There's mods on payroll so it doesn't make sense for someone browsing the web to do their work for free.
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    • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
      Originally Posted by alistair View Post

      What's an ESL country? I suspect it means English speaking language but not sure.
      English as a Second Language.
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  • Profile picture of the author alistair
    That makes more sense as I see now that what I thought really doesn't.
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