Blocking Posts with Certain Key Words

Brian Pfleuger · February 16, 2009, 03:23 PM

So, we've had this rash of dill-weeds (technical term there) trying to sell all manner of electronic crappery. I suppose it's not a new phenomenon but herein lies the question:

Can not there be a filter to block posts that contain more than a couple key words? Like "ipod", "laptop", "nokia", "apple", etc.

You get the idea. Obviously there could be legitimate posts containing talk of ipods and the like but it would seem fairly simple to block posts that contain 3 or 4 or, oh, 50 such references.

**Mal H** · February 16, 2009, 05:32 PM

Good idea, but unfortunately, no, automatic post/thread filtering doesn't exist in the vbulletin code.

Brian Pfleuger · February 17, 2009, 12:20 PM

Aright, well, I don't know a thing a vbulletin. A search turned up this:

http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=129390

I'm sure you mod types have considered ways of stopping the ads so forgive me if I'm rehashing discussion you've already had...

**Mal H** · February 17, 2009, 12:35 PM

Yep, you can hack the code to do just anything you wish. But, it's still a hack and has to be dealt with every time you change versions.

With that one, I'm not sure having threads drop in the moderating queue to be looked at by an assigned mod would be any better than the current system (spot a bad thread, report it, we delete it). 95% of the spam threads are relatively benign, though annoying, so the problem isn't really a major concern as it stands now.

Brian Pfleuger · February 17, 2009, 02:06 PM

Hm,

I don't mind the ads so much, I just report those... it's those "others" that I would prefer to not ever see in the first place. Rare, yes. Rare enough, not for me.

Oh well, you can only do what you can do.

alloy · February 17, 2009, 08:27 PM

i believe links in newcomer's posts can be auto disabled, but...theres an obvious drawback to that with people asking questions.

February 16, 2009, 03:23 PM	#1
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	Blocking Posts with Certain Key Words So, we've had this rash of dill-weeds (technical term there) trying to sell all manner of electronic crappery. I suppose it's not a new phenomenon but herein lies the question: Can not there be a filter to block posts that contain more than a couple key words? Like "ipod", "laptop", "nokia", "apple", etc. You get the idea. Obviously there could be legitimate posts containing talk of ipods and the like but it would seem fairly simple to block posts that contain 3 or 4 or, oh, 50 such references. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley Last edited by Brian Pfleuger; February 16, 2009 at 03:28 PM.

February 17, 2009, 12:20 PM	#3
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	Aright, well, I don't know a thing a vbulletin. A search turned up this: http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=129390 I'm sure you mod types have considered ways of stopping the ads so forgive me if I'm rehashing discussion you've already had... __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

February 17, 2009, 02:06 PM	#5
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	Hm, I don't mind the ads so much, I just report those... it's those "others" that I would prefer to not ever see in the first place. Rare, yes. Rare enough, not for me. Oh well, you can only do what you can do. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

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February 16, 2009, 05:32 PM	#2
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,947	Good idea, but unfortunately, no, automatic post/thread filtering doesn't exist in the vbulletin code.

February 17, 2009, 12:35 PM	#4
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,947	Yep, you can hack the code to do just anything you wish. But, it's still a hack and has to be dealt with every time you change versions. With that one, I'm not sure having threads drop in the moderating queue to be looked at by an assigned mod would be any better than the current system (spot a bad thread, report it, we delete it). 95% of the spam threads are relatively benign, though annoying, so the problem isn't really a major concern as it stands now.