When new members join there are two possibilities:
- A human checks each membership application and deletes ones that look like BAD members and approves the rest. This can take up 24 hours (in the week) and 48 hours (at weekends)
- They join immediately, after answering some anti-spam questions and verifying their email address
If we use #1, there is some delay in joining and some new members may lose interest/get bored. But there is not much spam on the website (spam comments, etc).
If we use #2, new members can get in immediately and start making their page etc right away. BUT, there is inevitably some spam on the website and THEN we rely on members to report the spam and THEN admin goes and deletes the BAD members.
We don't want GOOD members to be irritated/bothered by spam.
So here is the question:
Do you think it's better to:
- check members when joining (24-hour delay) and have almost no spam
- let members join immediately and clean up the spam afterwards
Thank you for your comments.
Replies
No. 1 is the best move. True, there'll be lesser spam because it's already being controlled from the start. If the new member has honest or good intentions I see no reason why (s)he couldn't wait for a day or 2.
I prefer #1
As sometimes till the report gets assessed the spammer gives his or her private links in quick speed , in cases where there is no one to report just then , they may have had accomplished their goal by introducing to their shady links , which ,is other than learning !!!
I reported the link to Tara, and it was deleted
I have found out they are trying to trap through the inbox.
So one has to alert the newcomers as well as the old members!
https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#inbox/12e7c1c5ce751e06
Almost everybody is of the view that #2 is more preferable for them. However, I don't agree with this. If members would be allowed to join immediately, a spammer would be active again just a little while after you'll delete them.
What siriA suggested is a nice idea. Apart from that you can also send a computer generated approval-mail (telling about free blogs and other learning activities in an interesting way) to new members to keep their interest alive about the site.
Whatever we or you choose, humanly speaking, it wouldn't be satisfactory for all of us as we all have our own different views. All options are still on the table in terms of how we address this problem, however, personally I go for #2.
On the other hand, I think the best option is what Josef briefly mentioned of, that is, relying on all the active members to report the spam.....and to be taken an action by Admin afterwards.
I think members should be checked, when joining in .....of course being humane they may come in anyway..
We members too should be on alert and not get duped.
2. Is reasonable.
I'm skeptic about Ver 1.
How do you verify that it's not a spammer through of application? Spammers aren't stupid to reveal their intentions so easily.
If there could be possibility to terminate users anonymousness (only for Administrators), then it could be thinkable, but for a international web site like this, it's currently very difficult... or rather impossible. Because as far as I know, there isn't any worldwide standard system for electronic id, that could be used to verify the authenticity of a user..
I'm afraid, that in end, you would just work 24/7 to go through of all applications, but have still spam.
I go for #2. From my own experience, when I first entered MyEC, of course the curiousity and the feeling of excitement were there but I was nearly disappointed from waiting for the approval of my application before. I pressume that most of the members feel like that.
With regards to anti-spam schemes, I noticed, too, that it took sometimes a day or two before a reported spammer is deleted. I am not aware if there is a committee here in EC entrusted with this task of deleting spammers or other questionable accounts. If there is, it should be working 24 hours a day since the club is global. If it is short of manpower, accept some qualified members to watch over its task.
When welcoming a new member, along with the useful links I give, I also include the link to the blog that tackled the issue hoping that it will educate the new members about the matter. I enjoin other members of the Welcoming Committee to follow suit.
Hello Josef,
It's not easy for me to know which solution would be the best, but after thinking twice, i would vote for the first proposition as I think that, a 24-hour delay is nothing for someone who is really willing to improve his/her english skill in a serious way.
I think the risk to lose good and active members, because they are annoyed by spammers and rude people, is much bigger than to lose serious people who really want to join EC because they have to wait 24 hours before being able to start their own page.
As i wrote a while ago, i lived this situation with another website, and now, what was once, the best website for travelers, turned pretty much into a dating website and all the serious members left for another online place which is now the reference for travelers.
Quality is always better than quantity.
Thanks for giving us the chance to react to this point.
Manuela
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