Spam
Hi Dave, I think you're probably right about the recent rash of new accounts. It is possible that a group of people created new accounts all together within minutes (like if they were in a meeting), but other reasons indicate to me that they are probably created by a single SEO spammer (creating links to his/her clients' websites). But before we smash them I think it might be prudent to send them a message, just in case. I'm the overcautious type, I know. I've gone ahead and done that. If we receive no message back within a few days, I think it's killin' time.
Hey Kotra, I like what you've done. But I'm not sure we even have to delete the accounts unless they begin spamming. I'll continue checking recent changes at least a few times a day. Maybe you can check RC from time-to-time as well. In the meantime, we might conduct another search for a filter that can block automated account creation.
I think that if they are spam accounts, they've already accomplished the spam they set out for: the url in each of their profile pages. I think the idea is to have more outside links to their sites, for SEO purposes.
I'll try to check RC more. Thanks for the reminder.
Interesting. I hadn't looked at the user pages they all created. Each with a link to a local business (except for Davisejonny, whose website link points to a business in Oakdale, NY). Even the businesses are roughly similar (home remodeling, landscaping, residential pest control, etc.).
At our next meeting, perhaps should look a little deeper and study IP addresses from whence these new accounts were created. Maybe a bunch of local business owners getting together and looking for free ways to seed various web pages with linkbacks to their websites?
"At our next meeting, perhaps should look a little deeper and study IP addresses from whence these new accounts were created."
Sounds good. This upcoming thurs sound good?
Hey Kotra,
Yeah, Thursday @ 7:00 p.m. sounds good. I can even come out there if you wish since I now have a bus pass.
Maybe we can also look at modifying the Occupy Portland event template to include Twitter and Facebook buttons via the TwitterFBLike extension (which I installed yesterday). Here's an example of how I incorporated it into an upcoming event.
You could come out here if you want to, but for myself I don't mind coming out there. I enjoy getting downtown once a week.
I think I want to talk about the Facebook and Twitter "like" buttons. For years I've strongly resisted adding those on PortlandWiki because of the tracking Facebook (and to a lesser extent, Twitter) does on anyone who visits a page with a facebook "like" button, regardless of whether they click on it or not. http://www.geek.com/articles/news/facebook-like-button-tracks-you-even-if-you-dont-click-20110519/ It is pretty important to me to not inflict that invasion of privacy on other people. There are alternatives, where you can add facebook and twitter "share" buttons with no tracking except when you actually click on them. For example EFF does this on their press releases: https://www.eff.org/press/releases/mandatory-black-boxes-cars-raise-privacy-questions
