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General discussion

Stopping ads in web site guest book

Jun 24, 2005 2:51AM PDT

I run two web sites hosted by 20m.com, and each has a guest book. In both guest books, I've been getting 40 or more fake postings a day with ads for everything from online drug sales to really nasty porn. I go in every day and erase them, but I'm thinking there has to be a way to stop them before they post. My host help desk said I could password-protect the guest book, but that kind of defeats the purpose of having a place for folks to post their thoughts freely on the actors for whom the sites were built. I'm considering taking the guest books offline for a whil to see if the ad jerks go elsewhere and for get about me. Any other suggestions? The sites are:
http://bobeinstein.com
http://jeffreywright.20m.com

I don't know if this is the right place to post this, but it seemed the best shot. Thanks.

Discussion is locked

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Not easy to do..
Jun 28, 2005 4:25AM PDT

More info is needed on how your guestbook is set up. Do users need accounts, or is it just a free-for-all?

If they need accounts to post, then simply disable the accounts of the offenders.

If it's a free-for-all, then there's little you can do to stop them.

One idea is to require a random security code before a message is posted. I'm sure you've seen those on the web. Most spammers would flee once you do that.

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IPBanning
Jul 25, 2005 4:33AM PDT

While some spammers work for small companies, quite a few are running things like this from their home computers hoping to make a quick buck. If you could introduce an IP banning system, depending on the type of spammer, it should effectively stop them. Also add that you are logging ip's of every poster wherever your guestbook is. Make sure it is large enough that everyone can see it easily. Normally that will deter small-time spammers.

Also, is your guestbook a free application that you downloaded and installed? Or is it one that you developed? Most free guestbook scripts should come with an IP Logging/Banning feature. If it is your own, then it would be relatively easy to add this feature in.

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Ad Free?
Jul 25, 2005 9:11AM PDT

Also, I forgot to ask, is 20m a free no-ad hosting service? if thats the case then its probably them doing the spamming. Its a easy way to make money.