I've written about this previously, but the issue appears to be escalating, which is why I'm addressing it again here. I've observed a noticeable increase in spam across this site, with every other comment or post seemingly constituting spam. I understand that spam is inevitable on any platform, and the usual advice is to ignore it. Nevertheless, it's becoming a serious nuisance as nearly every thread is now peppered with individuals or bots promoting obscure websites, even amidst serious discussions, to the point where the amount of spam posts is starting to surpass the amount of genuine content/posts.
If you are interested, I have a couple of ideas that might reduce the volume of spam. Certain websites employ verification measures for account creation or during login, such as "select all the squares with trees" or receiving a code via phone or email.
Additionally, I would be willing to volunteer as a moderator (or whatever the term is) to aid in sifting through, reporting, and removing spam posts (the ones w/the obscure links or advertising of services). I hope these suggestions are constructive and I'm not overstepping any boundaries. If my approach is inappropriate, I sincerely apologize. My intent is merely to bring attention to an issue on your site that you may not be aware of. Wishing you well, Marina.
I agree completely. It has become a whole attack actually. But to not have a moderator that is someone on the forum daily is understandable. And while some have volunteered, including myself, there are some elements of trust that come with that position, and I totally understand why she hasn't designated any of us to do so.
Moderators have to be impartial, unarbitrary, and objective. Someone who deletes posts because they don't want to be seen as wrong or because they are offended wouldn't qualify. That's not stated to offend, but the absolute truth. We have to be cognizant of the effects of our actions on a closed forum like this one, and deleting posts because we disagree is a negative action that negates the trust a person exhibits.
That said, I hope she finds one soon before the bot storm overtakes the site because we all enjoy it and wish for it to stay around.