Posts/Private Messages from Bots

[Laddy Muck]

Can anything actually be done about these - apparently - computer generated posts.

Personally, I don't believe that they are computer generated in all cases. For example, posts may quote a previous message. Moreover, and - I think - far more worrying, they sometimes contain information personal to a particular poster.

[Macevles]

....

[Huguenot]

The aim of the bots is to appear as human as possible.

To that end they quote random words out of other posts, and frequently mash sentences from other posts together.

They'll scrape forums for other mentions of the word and repeat the context with minor adjustments. That's why they appear to have personal information about you.

They learn what does and doesn't make sense, and their attention is particularly drawn to posts that mention their username.

It's not always easy to tell these apart from dickheads just posting rubbish, but since they both have the same effect on the forum's regular users, they should both be banned.

[Laddy Muck]

Thank you Huguenot.

I notice that Admin. are deactivating them on - what seems like - a regular basis, (as well as deleting their posts). What a chore! A type of forum pest control.

I just wondered where the motive lay. Forum disruption, the causing of ill feeling, deterrent to posting? What? Some of the posts appear quite malicious - not to mention defamatory.

Anyway...we cannot allow them to spoil our enjoyment of the place.

[Huguenot]

It's not supposed to be malicious or defamatory, they're just scraping stuff. In the most part there's a form of AI behind them, not people, so not much point in being offended.

They don't just scrape off the EDF either, they're building a database from all over.

One of my clients uses the same system for translation. Instead of doing what some translators do in trying to translate word for word, it tries to learn idioms and human phrases by scraping the net. It's currently in learning mode.

The aim is to appear so human that they aren't banned from sites. When this goal is met they'll be peppered with commercial links or hidden code to push things like pharmaceuticals, porn and so on.

You may not even be able to see the code, because it's there to bamboozle search engines rather than you.

[DJKillaQueen]

It's getting a bit irritating now...Bot NowNo has posted three times in succession on a thread in the Lounge. From what I understand, it is possible to block out bots in the site settings though.

[Administrator]

It's not a bot, it's an individual trolling the Lounge and a picking on a few of you. We are working with their ISP, BT, to put a stop to them.

[Laddy Muck]

Not a bot? In a way, that's worse, because if s/he is picking on just a few of us, then that's more personal. Seems all very bizarre to me.

Thanks for all your efforts in attempting to resolve the situation though, Admin.

[DJKillaQueen]

Ditto what LM said and what a pain for Admin to sort out. Clearly a very sad individual indeed going to all that trouble and for what motive? 'Hackker' seems to be the latest username.

[Alan Medic]

Well spotted Laddy. Who would want to do such a thing?

[DJKillaQueen]

I think it's just irritating now.....he/she has just reappeared as Pico right on cue (always seems to be around this time of night).

[Laddy Muck]

> Who would want to do such a

> thing?

My thought exactly Mr. Medic. As for forumites, I have racked my brains, but am unable to come up with anybody!

[Kokoba]

(?) ....

[Huguenot]

Well whatever the provenance, I'm on the verge of quitting not in a huff, but just because this idiot has taken all the joy.

[Laddy Muck]

*Bot/Idiot blocks exit in attempt to prevent Huguenot from leaving*

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit was april 25, 19:03 by Bot/Idiot

[DJKillaQueen]

Looks like he's just created the account 'Jilda' (check your knitting thread LM).

[Laddy Muck]

Thanks DJ. True to its word, it has PMed (at great lengths too). Same tired old gibberish which you, Jah, Narnia, Dita etc. received.

BTW you have become quite adept at sniffing these idiots out, Your Maj. Perhaps Admin. could offer you a job LOL! You round them up and Admin. zap them: SORTED!

[DJKillaQueen]

It's not hard to spot his new accounts, but if as soon as he sets up a new alias someone mentions it here then it perhaps helps admin to get rid asap. Like I said, his first account was set up in November of last year as Belen but he did nothing with it for five months.

[Odyssey]

Who says it's a male who is the perpetrator of this misery? Are you saying that females with all their PMTs are not capable of such distorted behaviour?

How dare you put this crime at a male's door KILLAQueen!!! ;-)

[DJKillaQueen]

LOL....indeed I stand corrected....secretly I do suspect 'crazy woman syndrome' is at the heart of this :D

[Laddy Muck]

Funnily enough, Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction) springs to mind...

*here bunny bunny, come bunny bunny...PERHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA*