The Spam Problem (Introduction)
You will no doubt have noticed that we’re being bombarded with spam. I’m currently logging on at frequent intervals, every day deleting at least 50 entries that come from all over the world. What these folk hope to gain by it I really don’t know, but it may be necessary to change the way we do things on the forum. Neil – the technical wizard who administers the site – says that registration might be a deterrent, and he can then “switch off†undesirables. I don’t like the idea, because we’ve always been open to all-comers and I myself am put off by any websites that demand registration. We may have to do it, though – at least temporarily – unless someone has another suggestion.
The Spam Problem
by David Turell 
, Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 14:51 (4757 days ago) @ dhw
unless someone has another suggestion.
email has a spam folder and that puts spam off to the side where it can be ignored. Can Neil do this?
The Spam Problem
by xeno6696 , Sonoran Desert, Thursday, November 17, 2011, 00:01 (4756 days ago) @ David Turell
unless someone has another suggestion.
email has a spam folder and that puts spam off to the side where it can be ignored. Can Neil do this?
Not as easy to do with forum threads. They don't use a similar programming paradigm.
The problem with the site is that machines are able to create their own accounts. Since they can create their own accounts, there is no way for the site to decide who is and isn't an appropriate member without a registration process.
I've suggested captcha solving on login as a way to mitigate anonymous forum posts. Or even logging in.
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\"Why is it, Master, that ascetics fight with ascetics?\"
\"It is, brahmin, because of attachment to views, adherence to views, fixation on views, addiction to views, obsession with views, holding firmly to views that ascetics fight with ascetics.\"
The Spam Problem
by xeno6696 , Sonoran Desert, Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 23:58 (4756 days ago) @ dhw
You will no doubt have noticed that we’re being bombarded with spam. I’m currently logging on at frequent intervals, every day deleting at least 50 entries that come from all over the world. What these folk hope to gain by it I really don’t know, but it may be necessary to change the way we do things on the forum. Neil – the technical wizard who administers the site – says that registration might be a deterrent, and he can then “switch off†undesirables. I don’t like the idea, because we’ve always been open to all-comers and I myself am put off by any websites that demand registration. We may have to do it, though – at least temporarily – unless someone has another suggestion.
Captchas on login. Machines CANNOT solve captchas. Humans at least, can solve them some of the time! 
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\"Why is it, Master, that ascetics fight with ascetics?\"
\"It is, brahmin, because of attachment to views, adherence to views, fixation on views, addiction to views, obsession with views, holding firmly to views that ascetics fight with ascetics.\"
The Spam Problem
by xeno6696 , Sonoran Desert, Thursday, November 17, 2011, 00:03 (4756 days ago) @ dhw
As to what they hope to gain: Who knows?
Most likely its an automated web-crawler that found a way to exploit the open-nature of your site. (solvable by requiring captchas on submission of anonymous posts)
It could be Atheists wishing to silence someone who gives voice to ID, or it could be another theist group, angered by you giving voice to atheists.
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\"Why is it, Master, that ascetics fight with ascetics?\"
\"It is, brahmin, because of attachment to views, adherence to views, fixation on views, addiction to views, obsession with views, holding firmly to views that ascetics fight with ascetics.\"