Spam reporting thread #75

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Spam reporting thread #75

1lilithcat
Modifié : Mar 20, 2022, 9:15 am

PROCEDURES FOR REPORTING SPAM

Distinguish between the following, and flag the highest level of the violation:

-- Type 1: Irredeemable commercial spam: make sure to flag the member's profile, as well as the spammy activity. This type includes things selling strollers, pharmaceuticals, live-streaming sports games, porn, and/or trying to create traffic/links to sites for such things. Sufficient profile flags will automatically result in temporary suspension and deletion of the member's activity, so use your profile-flagging powers wisely and carefully.

-- Type 2: Teachable moments: DO NOT flag the member's profile, but DO flag the violating activity (e.g. self-promotional Talk post, group, or local venue). This type includes promotional activity that violates the Terms of Service (TOS), but where the member is potentially redeemable, e.g. overzealous authors, overzealous publishers, or other members with small TOS violations but who are otherwise using the site legitimately. These cases should be reported to staff (by sending a message or email to staff and/or or posting on this thread), so the member can be taught how to use the site.

Specific procedures:
-- Overzealous authors or publishers (these fall under type 2): do NOT flag the member's profile. Report to staff here or privately. You can also send the member a polite message pointing them to the terms, mentioning the "no promoting" language, and pointing them to the Do's and Don't page for authors: http://www.librarything.com/about_authors.php NOTE: Because all profile comments are now private, others cannot tell that you have left a message, so please include that information when you post in this thread.
-- Suspected sock-puppetry to promote a book, write fake reviews, and/or stack ratings: do not flag the profile, but report to staff here or by message, so staff can investigate. This is a serious violation for which members can be permanently banned.
-- Profile flags for commercial spammers only (type 1): On the member's profile page, click on the "report for spam" link, then follow instructions to flag the member. Again, this is only for commercial spam, not for "overzealous" authors, publishers, or booksellers, which should be reported to staff instead. See Talk post: http://www.librarything.com/topic/85810
-- Spam or promotional posts in a Talk topic (type 1 or 2): flag the post as an abuse of the terms of service.
-- Spam or promotional groups (types 1 and 2): flag new groups using the "flag this group" link.
-- Spam lists: report in this thread, and flag the member if it's commercial spam.
-- Spam works (type 1 spam): flag the work as spam on the work's editions page, and then vote on proposed work spam. Make sure to read the guidelines before proposing or voting, especially for what is not spam. Voting page: http://www.librarything.com/spam_works.php
-- Spam in a review (type 1), or an explicitly promotional review (type 2): flag the review as an abuse of the TOS, using the red flag.
-- Spam or promotion in "published reviews," or other CK fields (type 1 or 2): post here and/or delete.
-- Spam or egregious promotion/advertising in venues or events (type 1 or 2): post here and/or delete. Note that authors are permitted to add events for their books.
-- Spam in book links / quick links: post here and/or edit to remove spam.
-- Spam author names listed on a work: No current procedure. Tim has asked us not to change CK to indicate spammers, and not to combine spam authors together.
-- Not sure if it's spam? Post here, and explain why.

Please note that Tim has asked us not to use either CK or the combining system (whether works or authors) for spam fighting.

For more information see these wiki pages:
Procedures for flagging and reporting spam: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Spam
Spam works, guidelines for flagging and voting: http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/HelpThing:Spam_works

(A copy of these guidelines, for pasting in new threads, can be found here or at the top of previous threads.)

2lilithcat
Déc 30, 2021, 7:30 pm

Author spam: https://www.librarything.com/topic/338017 (Note: group is "join to post".)

https://www.librarything.com/profile/ALBdam (Message left)

3gilroy
Déc 30, 2021, 9:13 pm

>2 lilithcat: This now makes what seemed like an innocent group suspect...

4MarthaJeanne
Jan 5, 2022, 9:27 am

Author spam by https://www.librarything.com/profile/nataliasuazobooks

The user has been removed before I could finish posting.

5norabelle414
Jan 6, 2022, 8:25 am

6fyrfly
Modifié : Jan 7, 2022, 5:03 am

7MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Jan 8, 2022, 2:47 am

9gilroy
Jan 9, 2022, 8:44 pm

16MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Jan 10, 2022, 3:40 pm

19gilroy
Jan 14, 2022, 3:38 pm

>18 lilithcat: What on earth is "a development practitioner in the social impact space"?

20lilithcat
Jan 14, 2022, 3:50 pm

>19 gilroy:

No clue, but then I'm old.

21karenb
Jan 19, 2022, 8:22 am

22MarthaJeanne
Jan 19, 2022, 8:39 am

>21 karenb: Now flagged.

26lilithcat
Modifié : Jan 27, 2022, 6:29 pm

Author spam: https://www.librarything.com/topic/339115

https://www.librarything.com/profile/PaulaDail (No message left, as member does not allow comments.) Her "review" of her own book appears to be a link to her website: https://www.librarything.com/work/21723009/reviews/154169058 but it's not. The domain is apparently for sale. Weird.

ETA: and here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/339117 and here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/339116

27MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Jan 27, 2022, 7:08 pm

>26 lilithcat: Those seem to be gone. Too bad we can't message her. The other weird thing is that she only has the one book entered, but has been a member since 2016, and has several books on her author page.

28gilroy
Jan 27, 2022, 7:40 pm

I noticed she had to specify that she was the LEAD editor on her one book she'd entered...

29MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Jan 27, 2022, 10:35 pm

I just found this: https://www.librarything.com/topic/285479#6423823

Perhaps she turned off messages so she couldn't be told she is spamming. Anyway, I'm flagging as she knows this is not allowed.

31Taphophile13
Jan 28, 2022, 10:42 am

>29 MarthaJeanne: It may take more than a few flags because she has been here a while. Perhaps notify LT staff?

32lilithcat
Jan 28, 2022, 10:47 am

>31 Taphophile13:

It may take more than a few flags because she has been here a while.

Also because she's an LT author.

33karenb
Jan 30, 2022, 3:43 pm

35lilithcat
Jan 30, 2022, 4:06 pm

36gilroy
Jan 30, 2022, 4:24 pm

>35 lilithcat: I love his whole "Why did this get flagged?!" post...

37lilithcat
Jan 30, 2022, 4:54 pm

>36 gilroy:

I know! Maybe he should have read the rules first?

39MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Fév 7, 2022, 4:17 am

https://www.librarything.com/profile/nick7900

Advertising that he writes dissertations for people.

Can we disappear his deleted topic?
https://www.librarything.com/topic/339390#n7752280

That was fast. All gone.

Good. I really hate these.

412wonderY
Modifié : Fév 13, 2022, 6:05 pm

42lilithcat
Fév 13, 2022, 6:54 pm

>41 2wonderY:

Looks like that account is removed, maybe because he had this older one: https://www.librarything.com/profile/DavidHight

432wonderY
Fév 21, 2022, 12:16 pm

44MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Fév 21, 2022, 1:45 pm

45gilroy
Fév 21, 2022, 2:05 pm

>43 2wonderY: >44 MarthaJeanne: Considering she doesn't know her homonyms, based on her profile, I wonder how much editing her book needs...

46MarthaJeanne
Fév 21, 2022, 2:13 pm

Judging from the first few paragraphs in "Look inside", even just SpellCheck would have helped.

472wonderY
Fév 21, 2022, 2:38 pm

She did politely ask my who to contact to offer her book.

48MarthaJeanne
Fév 24, 2022, 8:13 am

Author spam

https://www.librarything.com/topic/339814#unread

Why he is advertising a German translation with a link to an Italian bookstore is beyond me.

(https://www.librarything.com/profile/rogermaxson)

51MarthaJeanne
Fév 25, 2022, 8:36 am

>50 norabelle414: That one disappeared very quickly.

52karenb
Fév 25, 2022, 8:59 am

>50 norabelle414:
And it was just one of dozens of fake support accounts added yesterday. Good catch!

54Watry
Fév 25, 2022, 10:29 am

55tardis
Modifié : Fév 25, 2022, 8:33 pm

58karenb
Fév 26, 2022, 5:03 am

63gilroy
Fév 27, 2022, 10:51 am

Oh, missed those.

Wondering if we have a PR person posting for a bunch writers...

64lilithcat
Fév 27, 2022, 10:55 am

>63 gilroy:

This last guy is self-published, so likely not as far as his posts are concerned.

The book in >59 haydninvienna: is described as "independently published", so that's probably not a publicist, either.

I think the authors just have the weekend free for spamming.

65norabelle414
Fév 27, 2022, 11:08 am

the users in >57 karenb: and >58 karenb: need more flags

68FAMeulstee
Modifié : Mar 3, 2022, 8:04 am

70norabelle414
Mar 3, 2022, 8:00 am

71FAMeulstee
Mar 3, 2022, 8:04 am

73gilroy
Mar 3, 2022, 1:22 pm

Is there a way to mark a long running thread as spam? Rather than have to flag each individual message?
(Cripes, I'm half tempted to apply to admin a group, just to bring the thread under control.)

74lilithcat
Mar 3, 2022, 1:31 pm

>73 gilroy:

I don't know of any way to do that. But if you'll post the link to the thread, some of us can help to flag the messages.

75MarthaJeanne
Mar 3, 2022, 1:48 pm

>74 lilithcat: However an admin could really make the whole thread disappear. Flagging will never do that.

76lilithcat
Mar 3, 2022, 1:54 pm

>75 MarthaJeanne:

Oh, I agree, but I gather gilroy isn't certain about becoming an admin.

77MarthaJeanne
Mar 3, 2022, 2:03 pm

If it's the group I'm thinking of, I don't blame him.

78gilroy
Mar 3, 2022, 2:41 pm

>74 lilithcat: The thread is a mammoth that takes an age to load... and it populated with 13 year olds as near as I can tell.

>77 MarthaJeanne: most likely is.

79norabelle414
Mar 3, 2022, 3:48 pm

On what grounds would you be flagging the entire thread? If it loads too slowly for you or you don't like 13-year-olds then just ignore the thread or don't open it.

80gilroy
Modifié : Mar 3, 2022, 5:20 pm

>79 norabelle414: On the grounds that more than half the posts are with links to spam and information farming sites.
I actually saved one of those 13 yr old's accounts that had gotten closed improperly.

81lilithcat
Mar 3, 2022, 5:38 pm

>80 gilroy:

On the grounds that more than half the posts are with links to spam and information farming sites.

But why should the posts that aren't spammy be made to disappear?

Oh! Is this the Manga group where they're all trying to get around their schools' blocking of sites? I emailed the site about that, and, according to Kristi, Tim said there were no "actionable TOS violations". If you see links to actual spam, you might want to point those out to TPTB.

82Watry
Mar 4, 2022, 9:37 am

At this point there's at least one post in the continuation thread pointing out which users tend to post spam or malware links. I don't have the kind of computer environment where I can risk clicking on them, but maybe someone else can check?

83norabelle414
Mar 4, 2022, 9:50 am

I think there are several people in the group with a genuine interest in keeping things civil and it would be nice if two or more of them could be appointed admins. (I'm generally annoyed at the admin-appointing process (or lack thereof) if you can't tell.)

>82 Watry: If users are pointing out that a particular link is harmful I would consider that enough evidence to flag (the message, not the user) without clicking on the link.

84Watry
Mar 4, 2022, 9:56 am

>83 norabelle414: I did consider but no one mentioned a particular link, just a user.

85karenb
Mar 5, 2022, 4:09 pm

87MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Mar 8, 2022, 8:56 am

88karenb
Mar 8, 2022, 8:56 am

user catalog: https://www.librarything.com/catalog/influencermarketing/yourlibrary
10 works, each with spam review and spam cover. Flag the covers first or the reviews?

90lilithcat
Mar 11, 2022, 12:32 am

Author spam: https://www.librarything.com/topic/340214 (NOTE: I am unable to flag the post at this time; it just spins and spins, and tells me to go write a book.)

Message left on his profile: https://www.librarything.com/profile/NoahTone

91MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Mar 11, 2022, 2:53 am

>90 lilithcat: Me, too. He seems full of himself, so I'm not bothered that we may be putting him off.

Warned before as https://www.librarything.com/profile/NoahjCotter

93MarthaJeanne
Mar 14, 2022, 3:35 am

Author spam

https://www.librarything.com/topic/340290

(https://www.librarything.com/profile/AlanLoya)

94gilroy
Mar 14, 2022, 5:54 am

>93 MarthaJeanne: Same author over in historical fiction group:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/340291

95MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Mar 14, 2022, 7:38 am

>94 gilroy: The one I listed is gone. Yours is gone now, too.

96norabelle414
Mar 14, 2022, 10:03 am

Make sure to mention if you have or have not left a message for an author, since all messages are private now

982wonderY
Mar 15, 2022, 8:36 am

It’s a heavy day for new Spam profiles. I find them looking at new profile pictures every morning. There have been 20 or so already today, and they seem to still be coming.

101MarthaJeanne
Mar 15, 2022, 5:58 pm

Rather different author spam, as he is just beginning to write his book and wants it edited here.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/340492
(https://www.librarything.com/profile/TerryRussellMoore)

102lilithcat
Mar 15, 2022, 6:09 pm

>101 MarthaJeanne:

Did you leave him a comment? As all comments are now private, we can't tell.

103MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Mar 15, 2022, 6:16 pm

Yes, but he can't find it, he says.

Oh, now he has found it and has 'adjusted his post', but still wants to post his book for people to read.

Ah, well. In the meantime the topic is gone.

104lilithcat
Modifié : Mar 19, 2022, 8:56 am

106lilithcat
Mar 20, 2022, 9:09 am

>105 VivienneR:

Did you leave a comment on his profile? (As all profile comments are now private, we can't tell.)

107lilithcat
Mar 20, 2022, 9:19 am

NOTE TO ALL:

I have edited >1 lilithcat:, as well as the wiki page linked therein, to reflect the fact that profile comments are now automatically private, and asking that those who do leave comments indicate that in their posts in these threads.

Specific language: NOTE: Because all profile comments are now private, others cannot tell that you have left a message, so please include that information when you post in this thread.

110gilroy
Mar 20, 2022, 3:29 pm

>108 MarthaJeanne: Guessing you left a message?

111karenb
Mar 25, 2022, 10:01 am

115amanda4242
Modifié : Mar 28, 2022, 11:03 am

122norabelle414
Modifié : Avr 6, 2022, 9:13 pm

125lilithcat
Modifié : Avr 9, 2022, 11:27 am

>124 clamairy:

Was this author spam? If so, was a message left on the profile? https://www.librarything.com/profile/LisaPerskie

126clamairy
Modifié : Avr 9, 2022, 7:01 pm

>125 lilithcat: Looks like it. I was in a hurry this morning and didn't have time to check. The author's name has an additional surname, but it must be her.

128rodneyvc
Avr 11, 2022, 7:51 am

This one doesn't seem to want to be zapped: https://www.librarything.com/profile/hsapclawwyandotte

129MarthaJeanne
Avr 11, 2022, 8:10 am

130karenb
Avr 14, 2022, 8:27 pm

1312wonderY
Avr 16, 2022, 7:11 am

Sharing this profile blurb just for chuckles:

“Nice to meet you all. Myself George Levine and I am from the USA. My hobbies is playing cricket, spending time with my friends and making food for them on weekends. I am always facing problems in making food for them on weekends because my time is always spent on writing an essay assignment but then I found websitename/best-dissertation-writing-services/ which helped me in choosing the best dissertation | writing services. Now, I can make food for them easily.”
(edited out the link)

132MarthaJeanne
Avr 16, 2022, 7:36 am

Sounds like George needs writing services even for a short blurb like this.

1392wonderY
Avr 26, 2022, 6:10 am

Heavy Spam profile building this morning. I just slapped down 30 or so. How about profiles without pictures? Is there a way to track their creation?

140norabelle414
Avr 26, 2022, 7:34 am

>139 2wonderY: The list of recent members at the bottom of the page here: https://www.librarything.com/zeitgeist/members

1412wonderY
Avr 26, 2022, 7:42 am

>140 norabelle414: Aha! I knew it must exist, but never did find it. Thanks!

1432wonderY
Modifié : Avr 29, 2022, 7:03 am

https://www.librarything.com/topic/337310#7824366

https://www.librarything.com/profile/karmaplace2022

Looking for more posts

Huh. I would have expected more posts. But that was it.

145karenb
Mai 3, 2022, 9:07 am

146lilithcat
Mai 3, 2022, 9:11 am

>145 karenb:

I can't believe they gave themselves only three stars!

147karenb
Mai 3, 2022, 9:29 am

>146 lilithcat: I KNOW RIGHT

149karenb
Mai 10, 2022, 3:48 am

1502wonderY
Mai 10, 2022, 7:31 am

Should I start a thread for amusing Spam, or just share the occasional funny blurb here?

One from this morning:

“ In the first place, people will think you're really smart since you know all these interesting things about biology. Second, if you know some interesting Dirty Biology pick up lines related to their subject, it will make the conversation more interesting and people will be more inclined to want to talk with you. In a third instance, if you're looking to learn more about someone, using biology pick up lines can be a great way to accomplish that. Last but not least, you'll be a great student, teacher, and friend if you use these lines in your classroom or other social settings.”

151karenb
Mai 12, 2022, 7:12 am

154SandraArdnas
Mai 13, 2022, 1:45 pm

Both suspended already

1552wonderY
Mai 13, 2022, 7:46 pm

156RBeffa
Mai 13, 2022, 11:01 pm

For the second time in a week I have run across an odd thing. Putting a spam link in an author's profile. I didn't pay attention the first time but this time I did and am reporting it here. The guilty party is https://www.librarything.com/profile/blandervansby who has inserted a link to one of the birth and death authors for today, Marv Wolfman. Look up in the top right corner above the wikipedia link and there is a "AAA - Auto Club Coupon Code"

157lilithcat
Modifié : Mai 13, 2022, 11:06 pm

Marv Wolfman

Link is gone now. I've deleted it.

158RBeffa
Mai 13, 2022, 11:11 pm

>157 lilithcat: Thanks. Is this a common thing?

159lilithcat
Mai 13, 2022, 11:18 pm

>158 RBeffa:

I've never noticed one before, but it's certainly possible that this is not a unique instance.

160RBeffa
Mai 13, 2022, 11:21 pm

>159 lilithcat: Under the blandervansby profile is a badge for posting 45 web links but I don't have any idea how to trace where that person put them.

161Nevov
Mai 14, 2022, 5:59 am

>160 RBeffa:
>posting 45 web links but I don't have any idea how to trace where that person put them.

The Zeitgeist Helpers Log page covers the last 7 days of links being added:
https://www.librarything.com/log_helpers.php?view=links&span=168

Unfortunately that user name doesn't appear so must have been earlier, and wasn't caught at the time via Zeitgeist. I don't know of another way, do we know would a report to staff have success (presuming they have the facility to directly look at the user's alltime link contributions, with a view to purging them)?

162norabelle414
Mai 14, 2022, 9:32 am

>161 Nevov: It could be that the user doesn't show because the account has been removed as spam.

If you find on the list where >157 lilithcat: deleted the link it says "lilithcat deleted the link No title (Link missing) (English) (unconfirmed) "
I think that means all of the links added by that user have been removed so I don't think we should worry about it

1632wonderY
Mai 14, 2022, 10:10 am

>162 norabelle414: I doubt removal of a profile undoes CK additions.

164norabelle414
Mai 14, 2022, 10:35 am

>163 2wonderY: Links are knowledge that is common but they are not Common Knowledge in their format on the site. A lot of other things get removed when an account is removed as spam, like Published Reviews and Lists created. The only explanation I can see for why lilithcat's line in the Zeitgeist log would look different than other deleted links is that the link was removed by the system.

165RBeffa
Mai 14, 2022, 1:34 pm

>162 norabelle414: when lilithcat deleted the AAA spam link shortly after my post it left that strange link removed message while the profile was still active. I reported the profile as a spammer. I had not found the profile listed under the zeitgeist log then and assume the spammer put it up some time ago. The spam link I saw approx a week ago was different than the triple a one. I think it may have been a fake Costco or similar but it was the same kind of thing that popped up a bunch of fake coupons.

166karenb
Modifié : Mai 15, 2022, 10:20 am

It's not the first spam link I've seen on an author page, for sure.

>164 norabelle414: The link was not removed by the system; the system avoids naming the former user who added the link. (I've found another link added by the same user.)

> 165 When you see such a problem again, maybe wait to report the profile as spam? At least until we can puzzle out the problem(s) as much as possible.

167RBeffa
Mai 15, 2022, 11:58 am

>166 karenb: Well, there wasn't much to the profile. blandervansby had zero books, joined in January 2022 and had 45 links for a badge. That was it. I was unable to find any of those links on LT by searching the user name. I did not immediately report the user as spam.

168MarthaJeanne
Mai 15, 2022, 12:13 pm

Searching a person's activity on LT using the user name basically doesn't work, as it feels very much like stalking. There are a few things that can be found if you know how, but it is not straightforwards.

1702wonderY
Mai 16, 2022, 5:31 am

Oddly, this account “has been deactivated” but the profile picture persists.

https://www.librarything.com/pic/9097459

171norabelle414
Mai 16, 2022, 10:48 am

172gilroy
Mai 16, 2022, 10:50 am

>171 norabelle414: Teen from the Manga group who probably meant to post in that group.

173MarthaJeanne
Mai 16, 2022, 12:26 pm

>171 norabelle414: Member took advice and deleted the message.

174lilithcat
Mai 16, 2022, 12:31 pm

>173 MarthaJeanne:

And has moved it to Writer's Brag and Rag Bag: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341788, a more appropriate place.

I really want to tell the kid, "First, improve your grammar, spelling, and punctuation." But I'll refrain.

175MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Mai 16, 2022, 12:41 pm

I made a few spelling corrections. My mother taught Middle School English, and I sometimes corrected spelling and grammar on writing assignments for her before she read them for content. I can't read this for content because the mistakes are so disruptive.

And this in an era with spell check and grammar check.

176norabelle414
Mai 16, 2022, 12:55 pm

>173 MarthaJeanne: *unfurls "Mission Accomplished" banner*

177gilroy
Mai 16, 2022, 1:24 pm

>174 lilithcat: Actually, not really an appropriate place.
What they seek is not available here.
We are not a writing forum. They should NOT be posting that much of their book here at all and really Brag and Rag bag is kinda quiet. Hobnob might have been better, or Writer Readers, but none of them are truly appropriate.

We aren't a secure forum. We aren't critique people. We aren't beta readers.

178lilithcat
Mai 16, 2022, 2:29 pm

>177 gilroy:

The group description says, among other things, this group could engender a story-critiquing coterie.

I agree this is not a secure site, but that’s a separate issue.

179karenb
Mai 16, 2022, 3:12 pm

re: spam links on author pages

When you see these, please drop a note to staff about the author (and don't mark the spamming user's profile). They can search in ways that we can't.

(I found another spam link, and that's essentially what Abigail said.)

181lilithcat
Mai 16, 2022, 6:10 pm

>180 haydninvienna:

Did you leave a comment, so he knows what he did wrong?

182haydninvienna
Mai 16, 2022, 6:20 pm

>181 lilithcat: Im actually not entirely sure how to do that.

183lilithcat
Mai 16, 2022, 6:32 pm

>182 haydninvienna:

Just go to the person's profile. At the bottom of the page, you should see a box that says "LibraryThing has moved to an all-private message system and removed the public wall on profile pages. All posts can be accessed in Messages. See Conversation in Messages." The second sentence is a link to a page where you can send a message to the person.

Because all messages are now private, no one other than the sender and recipient can see them. In this thread, it's important to note whether you have left a comment, so others know you've done so and don't bombard the person with comments.

184norabelle414
Mai 16, 2022, 6:47 pm

>182 haydninvienna: There's also a button at the top of a user's profile page on the right side. Here's the script I use if you want to copy it:
______________

Hello, and welcome to LibraryThing!

Please note that author and publisher self-promotion is not permitted on LibraryThing except in the places specifically set aside for that purpose. This is to keep the site and particularly the "talk" threads from being overwhelmed by authors and publishers promoting their own work. Promotional posts made in many places will quickly be flagged as spam and disappear. But there are a few designated areas in which self-promotion specifically *is* permitted:

https://www.librarything.com/groups/hobnobwithauthors

https://www.librarything.com/groups/writersbragandragbag

Here is a page that explains how authors can use LibraryThing:
https://www.librarything.com/about/authors

And here are the terms of service, which prohibit advertising and promotion:
https://www.librarything.com/privacy
_______________

185Nevov
Mai 16, 2022, 7:08 pm

>179 karenb:
>re: spam links on author pages
>When you see these, please drop a note to staff about the author (and don't mark the spamming user's profile). They can search in ways that we can't.

I've added that advice to the "Spam in Quick Links" section of the wiki page, with a link back to >179 karenb:
lilithcat you may wish to cast an eye over my edit, and possibly do an update to >1 lilithcat: on similar lines too?

186lilithcat
Mai 16, 2022, 7:21 pm

>185 Nevov:

The links in question were not "Quick Links". Those only appear on the Work page. These were in the "Links" section of the Author page.

187Nevov
Modifié : Mai 16, 2022, 8:01 pm

Ah, indeed. I will redo my edit with that in mind. Sorry!

Edit: re-done, thanks for pointing it out. Have returned the Quick Links advice into its correct state, and written a new but similar-worded bullet point "Spam Links on an author page" to cover this advice.

188haydninvienna
Mai 17, 2022, 12:50 am

191karenb
Mai 17, 2022, 3:31 pm

>185 Nevov: Thanks for updating the wiki; I keep forgetting that it's there.

I'd suggest leaving the link and simply contacting staff. That gives staff complete information, and they'll delete the bad link when they're done with it.

192Nevov
Mai 17, 2022, 6:27 pm

>191 karenb:

I've updated it to say that. Thanks!

195rybie2
Mai 18, 2022, 8:08 pm

Been a while since I marked a work as spam (even had to look up how to do it ;-)

work: https://www.librarything.com/work/28208837
user: https://www.librarything.com/profile/Academiacoaching

197norabelle414
Mai 18, 2022, 8:22 pm

>195 rybie2: I don't think that's spam. The book has a valid ISBN which was added manually and the cover looks like a real cover. Also I put the text of the review into google translate and it looks like a normal review (makes references to the thing being reviewed being a book, and references to the author)

198rybie2
Mai 19, 2022, 1:14 pm

>197 norabelle414: Okay, sounds good, thanks. That wall of text reviewing their own book made my brain hurt I guess ;-)

199norabelle414
Mai 19, 2022, 1:26 pm

>198 rybie2: I didn't see any indication that it's their own book? I think it's just not a book that was already entered into LT.

200lilithcat
Modifié : Mai 19, 2022, 1:50 pm

>198 rybie2:

It's not "their own book", as far as I can tell. Same author as Coaching para intervenciones en crisis.

202MarthaJeanne
Mai 20, 2022, 5:27 am

2032wonderY
Mai 24, 2022, 4:43 am

This morning’s Spam patrol smile:

“ hello!! As there are numerous victims due to indiscriminate eating and drinking, we are a community eat-and-run boss that is made up of top experts related to Toto Site to prevent and prevent such damage.”

204SandraArdnas
Mai 24, 2022, 5:36 am

>203 2wonderY: Is that some weird google translate? I have no idea what it means, lol

2052wonderY
Mai 25, 2022, 5:11 am

Several reviews here violate the terms and need flagged:

https://www.librarything.com/profile_reviews.php?view=MarcelRayDuriez

206gilroy
Mai 25, 2022, 5:32 am

>205 2wonderY: That's the author self reviewing all their works? Anyone drop a note on proper LT use?

2072wonderY
Mai 25, 2022, 5:39 am

>206 gilroy: I didn’t. Don’t want to get into a dialog with him.

And he’s not self reviewing; he’s quoting other reviews.

208MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Mai 25, 2022, 6:27 am

Also his author page picture with advertising text.

https://www.librarything.com/pic/9115175

BTW, if that is an example of his "expertise in authoring", no wonder nobody else has entered his books.

He can't reply to me.I've blocked him.

209gilroy
Mai 25, 2022, 7:58 am

>207 2wonderY: All those that aren't copied reviews are self reviews. He's only entered his own works.

210lilithcat
Mai 25, 2022, 8:27 am

Self reviews are not a violation of the TOS.

As far as the image, I generally direct the uploader to the Contributing Photos to LibraryThing wiki page. If they don't remove the improper material in a couple of days, I'll re-upload it to the author page and then flag the image with the improper material.

211gilroy
Mai 25, 2022, 8:33 am

>210 lilithcat: Not saying they are violations. Just that they are very tacky. Which some people do include in their notification to the author about how to use LT.

212MarthaJeanne
Mai 25, 2022, 8:49 am

>210 lilithcat: I tried 3 times to edit my comment, including a link, but only got error messages.

213Nevov
Mai 26, 2022, 8:41 am

This author profile: https://www.librarything.com/author/syedqurancenter
Had various non-correct CK in it, added by user: https://www.librarything.com/profile/syedqurancenter

I've blanked all the CK out, which included an external link in the short bio, and Relationships: single (!). Uncertain if this is from a genuine misunderstanding of the difference between CK and user profile page, or a spam/advertising attempt. The user's page is already showing as "Unconfirmed member" so I believe it must have had some spam flags for that to happen, I've not done any flagging from this.

214lilithcat
Mai 26, 2022, 8:51 am

>213 Nevov:

The user's page is already showing as "Unconfirmed member" so I believe it must have had some spam flags for that to happen,

No. See https://www.librarything.com/topic/311957

215Nevov
Mai 26, 2022, 8:53 am

>214 lilithcat: Thanks for that link, bookmarked for future reference.

217MarthaJeanne
Mai 27, 2022, 6:16 am

218gilroy
Modifié : Mai 29, 2022, 6:16 am

Author spamming groups. Most threads already gone. This is for tracking purposes.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/342022

https://www.librarything.com/profile/traciwatersbook
(I have left a profile message)

219MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Mai 29, 2022, 6:20 am

220norabelle414
Modifié : Mai 29, 2022, 7:58 am

Author spam: https://www.librarything.com/topic/342025

Do not flag (I left a message): https://www.librarything.com/profile/MarcelRayDuriez

ETA: I just noticed that this is the same account as >205 2wonderY: but it's unclear if anyone left a message at that point so not sure if this should be considered "strike two"

222MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Mai 29, 2022, 8:10 am

>221 gilroy: I was just coming to report that one.

223Nevov
Mai 29, 2022, 12:32 pm

I didn't yet flag the group in >221 gilroy: as it's on the face of it asking for discussion: "Please join the talk and promote a solution." which could be acceptable for a group? Or does the fact of the author having a book on that precise subject disqualify them from having a benefit of the doubt? Do we wait until they show a sign of "PS I have a book on this" and flag at that point as commercial solicitation?

224MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Mai 29, 2022, 12:38 pm

>223 Nevov: They have used the book title as the name of the group and the book cover as the group picture. A similar group without those two problems would be totally acceptable.

225Nevov
Mai 29, 2022, 12:42 pm

Yes I see, so a type 2 teachable, and flag as a self-promotional group.

226Nevov
Mai 29, 2022, 12:51 pm

>220 norabelle414: They seem to be tripping up on author images too, I've flagged today a duplicate of their existing primary but which had extra/different bio material as a description, and they have a second image up for a vote that's not an author pic. And they have had previous images flagged (last week? Can see them in the Removed, currently the latest two. The author pic had bio in the description and the other was for being a non-author pic).

227norabelle414
Mai 29, 2022, 1:13 pm

>226 Nevov: I thought I recognized the picture from the "flagged images" page but I wasn't sure the context in which it had previously been posted. They're definitely on thin ice.

228MarthaJeanne
Mai 29, 2022, 5:15 pm

>226 Nevov: I took his burial location out of CK.

2292wonderY
Mai 31, 2022, 6:28 am

It’s gone already, I’m sure. But this was just odd - a sponge manufacturer advertising here:
https://www.librarything.com/profile/SpongeCenter

231yolana
Mai 31, 2022, 5:54 pm

>230 2wonderY: wow! That’s bold.

2322wonderY
Mai 31, 2022, 7:40 pm

>231 yolana: I’m shocked that it’s still up. Normally, one flag and ten seconds and it’s gone. There are three others I’ve flagged (not as nasty) that are still there too. The few I did just before disappeared as usual. Did I break the system?

233norabelle414
Mai 31, 2022, 8:28 pm

>232 2wonderY: I noticed that too. Maybe give it a day and if its still up we can let staff know something's broken

234rodneyvc
Mai 31, 2022, 10:58 pm

236MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Juin 1, 2022, 9:47 am

Topic is gone ten minutes after she posted.

But the profile is worse - Porn alert! and still there.

I sent a message to Kristi. We really don't need this garbage on LT. Note: I object to anyone trying to get sex through LT and posting pictures against the ToS, regardless of what equipment they have.

2372wonderY
Juin 1, 2022, 10:06 am

Why are some profiles sticking? It’s maddening.

238kristilabrie
Modifié : Juin 1, 2022, 11:23 am

>236 MarthaJeanne: Looking at why the profile is still up - thanks for the note!

ETA: Actually I need to keep it up for another hour or so to test why spam profiles aren't coming down soon enough. Thanks for your patience, all.

239MarthaJeanne
Juin 1, 2022, 3:45 pm

>238 kristilabrie: Thank you.

Now if I could just also delete one of those pictures from my brain.

240Nicole_VanK
Modifié : Juin 2, 2022, 6:42 am

>239 MarthaJeanne: Yeah. While I'm transgender myself, that profile and that post were totally inappropriate on LT. I flagged them too.

241Nicole_VanK
Modifié : Juin 2, 2022, 7:24 am

And let's not forget, the legal age for joining most internet sites is 13 - so there may easily be minors on LT. So, huge nope.

242MarthaJeanne
Juin 2, 2022, 7:48 am

You know what? I'm a lot older than 13, and I don't want to have these things thrust upon me. If you put it up on a site meant for that sort of thing, fine, I don't care because I'm not going to go there. But this is a site about books.

243gilroy
Juin 2, 2022, 8:33 am

>241 Nicole_VanK: If you look at the Manga and Anime group, we have a LARGE group of under 18 but over 13 here

244MarthaJeanne
Juin 2, 2022, 8:57 am

This Texas law against censorship on social media, what will that mean for spam hunting if it gets through the courts?

245Taphophile13
Modifié : Juin 2, 2022, 5:14 pm

Somehow this one has been here since 2021! Please flag the reviews then we'll flag away the works.
https://www.librarything.com/profile_reviews.php?view=dubaigirls
profile: https://www.librarything.com/profile/dubaigirls
(At least no pictures this time.)

ETA: Thanks everyone. The reviews are gone and the works have been marked as spam. I hope when the profile is taken down that these tags also disappear:
Tag > please+make+full-text+search+by+clicking+here.+HomeExploreIndian+(it goes on)
Tag > 2021-11-13 06:35:28 Indian Escort Girls Business Bay(plus more)

248norabelle414
Juin 4, 2022, 9:57 am

>246 karenb: Argh, this one is still up!!

249OscarHinder
Juin 4, 2022, 10:02 am

Cet utilisateur a été supprimé en tant que polluposteur.

251MarthaJeanne
Juin 5, 2022, 11:34 am

Looks like both are gone.

253gilroy
Juin 6, 2022, 5:40 am

>252 norabelle414: Looks like people flagged them anyway

254Nevov
Juin 6, 2022, 9:03 am

>253 gilroy: I wonder if it is general users encountering the spam who flagged the profile, unawares of any discussion here, and missing the rule bulletpoint on the flag confirmation page advising to report overzealous authors by email.

Might be worth keeping an eye on if this is increasingly common (though I don't know if much can be done, the comment wall did a lot of heavy lifting on author spammers and it might just be inevitable that more will be flagged and get profile blocks nowadays).

255MarthaJeanne
Juin 6, 2022, 9:23 am

It's strange that author spammers are knocked out quickly, when commercial and porn spammers aren't.

256JustinLey0
Juin 6, 2022, 9:24 am

Cet utilisateur a été supprimé en tant que polluposteur.

257MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Juin 6, 2022, 2:02 pm

Of course, there are those who report themselves.

He's gone, but https://www.librarything.com/profile/qualitythought123 from >246 karenb: is still around. Part of that may be that the other had been up a while before we caught it.

Gone now.

258gilroy
Juin 6, 2022, 1:04 pm

>254 Nevov: Usually it comes from people not reading the post, just seeing a profile to flag and placing a flag on it.
Happens all the time in the Is This Spam thread too.

259norabelle414
Juin 6, 2022, 1:53 pm

"don't flag author accounts" is more of a spamfighters rule than a site-wide rule. I think most of the general LT users don't know that rule.

260MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Juin 6, 2022, 2:02 pm

Well, if the spamming authors don't bother to learn the rules, they can't really complain about others who also don't follow them.

>257 MarthaJeanne: Gone now.

261lilithcat
Modifié : Juin 6, 2022, 3:47 pm

>259 norabelle414:

"don't flag author accounts" is more of a spamfighters rule than a site-wide rule.

No, Tim has asked that those accounts not be flagged. See: https://www.librarything.com/topic/170097#4550744

In my book, that makes it a site-wide rule.

262gilroy
Juin 6, 2022, 3:57 pm

He's been resurrected. All good.

263norabelle414
Juin 6, 2022, 3:59 pm

>261 lilithcat: It applies site-wide, yes, but it's not general knowledge. It's not on the site policy page and I don't think there's any reason to expect members who are not in the spam fighters group to know about it.

264Nevov
Modifié : Juin 6, 2022, 11:01 pm

>263 norabelle414:
>I don't think there's any reason to expect members who are not in the spam fighters group to know about it.

It is there written as one of the five Important Rules, upon the confirmation page we see on every author flag we place. But flaggers no doubt become inured to that page with repetition, just habitually clicking through it as "yes I want to flag", without reminders such as in here.

So the style of report as in >252 norabelle414: is definitely useful, advising feedback left, do not flag. And even if it does happen, having the author in contact with staff (to ask for their profile unblocked) offers them the chance to fully appreciate it's site policy rather than mere grumpy users singling them out or anything.

>262 gilroy:
>He's been resurrected. All good.

Have they been naughty again I wonder? I'm seeing temporarily blocked.

Edit: more accuracy

268norabelle414
Juin 13, 2022, 4:14 pm

>267 2wonderY: They also posted here and I just pasted my usual note into the topic: https://www.librarything.com/topic/342323

271lilithcat
Juin 14, 2022, 6:50 pm

>270 norabelle414:

Post is gone now.

274gilroy
Juin 15, 2022, 10:58 am

>272 norabelle414: >273 MarthaJeanne: Something made people say that was more than just an author, cause they are gone now.
The book felt very spammy to me as well.

275norabelle414
Juin 15, 2022, 11:03 am

>274 gilroy: It is a book that is for sale on Amazon, and was added to LT using Amazon data. I'm sure it's a terrible book but the book entry in LT itself is not spam.

276MarthaJeanne
Juin 15, 2022, 11:23 am

Although one can have one's doubts about a 48 page book that claims that in 10 days the book will teach you everything you need to know to get rich as an IT consultant. Even if it is being sold by Amazon.

277norabelle414
Juin 15, 2022, 11:34 am

Plenty of books claim to do things that they can't (self-help/diet/business/astrology) but they are, unfortunately, still books

2792wonderY
Juin 17, 2022, 2:11 pm

A spam profile I just knocked down is marketing ceramic ottomans. Hmmm. Hope nothing broke.

282rodneyvc
Juin 18, 2022, 9:33 pm

283karenb
Juin 19, 2022, 5:30 am

2862wonderY
Juin 22, 2022, 11:12 am

Curious to know why this account is provisional, yet cannot be flagged when it’s an obvious call:

https://www.librarything.com/pic/9170778

287lilithcat
Juin 22, 2022, 11:14 am

>286 2wonderY:

I noticed earlier today that the option to flag an unconfirmed member is gone. It should come back!

288karenb
Modifié : Juin 22, 2022, 11:31 pm

Their one work has already been suppressed as spam.

https://www.librarything.com/profile/theprofit3

ETA: another one!
https://www.librarything.com/profile/theprofit0

....and gone

289karenb
Modifié : Juin 25, 2022, 12:48 am

290MarthaJeanne
Juin 25, 2022, 12:48 am

294MarthaJeanne
Juin 29, 2022, 9:35 am

296karenb
Modifié : Juil 1, 2022, 8:10 am

user: https://www.librarything.com/profile/buyerberry
work: https://www.librarything.com/work/26507043/200113048

er, gone before I actually posted. Thanks for checking the list of works already marked as spam!

2982wonderY
Juil 5, 2022, 10:53 am

She knows enough to add a book or two, but this is just a free way to get the business link more places.

https://www.librarything.com/profile/nancycaroll1

299MarthaJeanne
Juil 5, 2022, 11:02 am

3002wonderY
Juil 8, 2022, 1:51 am

Sharing a classic profile description for your pleasure:

Why do your force yourself to bring a native idea to your mind? Well, you should take the proper association of our experts for rendering the impactful solution. In this way, you become active to propagate interactive information as you ever deserved. Getting the Assignment Help is beneficial for you in case you cannot determine the right fact for attaining the most validated answer in the defined time. Nobody should have to stress about running the basic idea and implementing it in real-time concern. We are one of the best academic writing agencies to offer you the best thought and content creation development. No matter what type of problem you facing is, do not forget to stay connected with our experts. To know more information, you can surf our web address.

Location
Dublin, Ireland

3012wonderY
Juil 8, 2022, 1:54 am

Ha! Another good one!

302MarthaJeanne
Juil 8, 2022, 2:26 am

>300 2wonderY: What sort of grade would you get these days if that person wrote your assignment for you? My teachers back in the olden times would have failed me.

303SandraArdnas
Juil 8, 2022, 2:29 am

>302 MarthaJeanne: Sounds like failed google translate

304bnielsen
Juil 8, 2022, 3:00 am

>300 2wonderY: Reminds me of a Danish translation of a cover blurp for a Wodehouse novel. Original: "This bust busting gut buster has Uncle Fred and Wodehouse himself at the very height of their work" Danish "translation": Denne buste, der udbryder tarmbøsningen, har onkel Fred og Wodehouse selv i højden af ​​deres arbejde.

I had no idea what the Danish sentence was supposed to mean :-) So I bought the book. :-)

305lilithcat
Juil 10, 2022, 4:45 pm

306gilroy
Juil 11, 2022, 5:55 am

>305 lilithcat: Apparently, they were offended they couldn't advertise...

307MarthaJeanne
Juil 11, 2022, 7:39 am

Well, what's the point of joining a book site if you can't advertise your book?

3082wonderY
Juil 11, 2022, 8:17 pm

312MarthaJeanne
Modifié : Juil 17, 2022, 11:01 am

>311 norabelle414: The first two are gone, but the third still needs flags.

Also https://www.librarything.com/topic/342925

The one above is gone. This one could still use a flag, but can't disappear because someone responded to it.

3132wonderY
Juil 18, 2022, 9:00 am

Author spam
https://www.librarything.com/topic/339005#7885861

https://www.librarything.com/profile/MinervaHart

Will someone else write to her please? I’m not in a position to do just now.

314norabelle414
Juil 18, 2022, 9:08 am

322karenb
Juil 22, 2022, 6:51 pm

323lilithcat
Juil 22, 2022, 8:10 pm

This thread is getting way too long. I'm going to continue it.
Ce sujet est poursuivi sur Spam reporting thread #76.