I have made a decision to alter and/or remove various restrictions on Voat. I’ve thought a lot about this and it’s something both @Atko and I believe needs to be reevaluated.
Voat has always had a problem with spam. @Amalek would spam posts and hijack the new queue making it unusable. MH101 and then later @SaneGoatiSwear would hijack comment pages making them unusable. The rules Voat uses were put in place in to combat this behavior. They are old rules, mostly remaining unchanged from the initial versions of this site. Most, if not all, of the rules were in direct response to spam attacks. It was never Voat’s intention to limit non-spam accounts, but this is what has happened as an indirect result of these rules.
Voat will not keep in place a system that permanently limits a segment of users from debating and conversing. This isn’t Free Speech as I see it or as I want it.
Voat will shortly be going live with a new code base, and I want to have a new system designed and ready for when this happens, so I am posting this announcement to get feedback from the community.
The main areas of concern:
- Commenting restrictions on negative CCP accounts that aren't spamming their comments
- Limiting any account that spam comments
TL;DR
We need to allow unpopular opinions while preventing comment spam.
How do we do it?
All options are on the table
https://voat.co/v/announcements/1330806
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KingoftheMolePeople ago
Remove restrictions from Negative accts. Put in place a Spam button. Once an account has X number of Spam button reports, acct restrictions go into effect. To prevent abuse, if the restrictions are refuted("I am not spamming"), upon investigation, anyone found to be abusing the Spam button faces consequences, from restrictions themselves to a full on site ban.
guinness2 ago
But doesn't that just move the problem rather than solving it because then we'll need restrictions on the Spam button to stop spammers from creating an army of alts just to attack legitimate users?
KingoftheMolePeople ago
Well, there are two types of spammers. The ones who spam submission links, and the Amalek/Sane spammers in comments. The link spammers I dont think would do that(I could certainly be wrong). The other type will get flagged as spam report abusers.
I am certainly not saying this system will be perfect. Im not even saying its what we want to do. I spent all of maybe a full minute thinking it up, I said there were probably flaws w it. But there are always going to be ways to game the system, any system. Its all in how we then deal w those gamers abuse.
Hashing out the different ideas and the details are why we're discussing it after all.
guinness2 ago
Shills will use whatever weapon they can to attack Voat.
Take a quick look at https://voat.co/v/protectvoat/new?page=1
KingoftheMolePeople ago
That just looks like the SBBFags spamming PV like they do on occasion. Which would be the second type. PV mods will delete it. They then report those as spam and get those alts banned, and whoever is on the creating end has to start over w new alts.
Unless we go w no bans just have users block people there is going to have to be a way to deal w spammers. No system is going to be perfect, and there will be a way to game and abuse it.
I never said my I idea was perfect or preferable. And I (and I think everyone) would listen to anyone elses proposal.
guinness2 ago
But it doesn't just happen to PV and it is continuous, month after month after month.
This is reality, even if you want to pretend otherwise.
KingoftheMolePeople ago
I never pretended anything. And I know they do it all over voat.
I have given my little idea on addressing it. If you have another or just want to use the Block button this is the thread for it.
Basically I see it this way; If were going to have a way to address spam of both kinds there is going to be a way to game that system. The only thing we can do is try to minimize that abuse. Or we can go full out and ban VPNs and Tor so that you can be IP banned. That isnt going to be very popular here. Or we can do nothing and just have users block other users. But that has its own problem as a spammer can creat 100 alts and flood /All all day long. Two or three of those would make the site unusable as you couldnt block them fast enough.
idk what the best solution is. Id love to be able to IP ban certain useless dickbags, but Im not sure how to get that done short of banning VPNs and Tor. Email registration doesnt really work because of throwaway email, and a real address compromises anonymity.
So, idk. If youve got ideas, we're listening.
guinness2 ago
And I think your solution just moves the problem rather than solving it.
This is a free speech forum and I am free to disagree with your "idea" even though I don't have an actual solution at this time. This is my opinion, even if you don't like it.
KingoftheMolePeople ago
a little touchy this evening? I never said a single thing about your opinion. I said exactly the opposite more than once. But since you want to be a dickbag, and since youve got nothing,how about downvoating and shutting the fuck up.
guinness2 ago
But I do have a suggestion: not to entertain your "solution" because moving the problem solves nothing.
And no, your "idea" still solves nothing even if I do shut the fuck up... but this is a discussion post, so you shouldn't become excited if people disagree with you.
KingoftheMolePeople ago
Ive listened to you for hours now douchefag. I have been entirely polite the entire time until now. Go the fuck away if you have nothing to actually add. PM Putt that you think its a terrible idea. Start a new thread stating you think its a terrible idea. I dont give a fuck. Just go the fuck away, you are no longer worth my time responding to.
guinness2 ago
I disagree with your idea because moving constrains from voting and posting to a report button solves nothing.
Moving the problem solves nothing.
If you don't like people discussing your "solution" then perhaps you shouldn't have posted it here?
Censoring people who disagree with you isn't a solution either because it doesn't improve your idea.
KingoftheMolePeople ago
Shut the fuck up. Ive listened to your point repeatedly. Jesus fucking christ you are an insufferable cock. Ive listened, Ive been nothing but polite, youve had your say ad nauseum. Noone has censored your idea. I for one havent downvoated you if youve received them. Ive discussed the idea w others, so I obviously have no problem w that. Jesus wept, you must have no friends if you behave this way irl. Now shut the fuck up or take it elsewhere you unmitigated shitbag.
guinness2 ago
Let it go: all I did was disagree with your bad idea in a public free speech forum.
Nobody ever died from hurt feelings.
KingoftheMolePeople ago
Yes. Repeatedly. For Hours. All while having no idea of your own. Shut. The. Fuck. Up.
Noones feelings are hurt you ignorant cocksmoker, Im just sick of your stupidity.
guinness2 ago
I'd rather express myself freely within a free speech forum, thank you.
(At this point, I'm just poking you with a stick to hear you sequel)
KingoftheMolePeople ago
no thats who you really are. Too stupid to generate your own idea, yet critical of others. With a need to hear yourself talk. You are an insufferable jackass loser with no real friends irl, because you behave the same way irl.