# "Watch ..." spam **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 7, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388 "2012-06-07T14:36:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/1 "2012-06-07T14:36:05Z")
It’s been a pretty consistent and persistent series of the same spam (the latest with a teaser about the latest Avatar/Airbender show and placed in the wrong forum for such threads) and I am assuming that some effort has been made to block it. Can some powers that be explain how they go about attempting to block and what the roadblocks are? Just curious about the way things work. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/2 "2012-06-07T14:44:04Z")
These people or bots have been a pain in the ass lately, yes. We deal with them the same way we deal with all other spam: using bans on IP addresses and email domains, and occasionally usernames. Last year we also enabled a feature that requires registrants to answer a question to complete the registration of their accounts. It cut way down on spam for a while but hasn’t worked much lately. We’ve changed this question to see if that helps. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/3 "2012-06-07T15:09:22Z")
Is the question “What is your quest?” cause that might help out a lot too. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/4 "2012-06-07T15:11:29Z")
Casting them into a chasm does have a certain appeal. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/5 "2012-06-07T16:05:30Z")
What were the questions? Is Watson spamming us? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/6 "2012-06-07T16:35:27Z")
Someone should come up with a completely automated public turing test to tell computers and humans apart. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/7 "2012-06-07T16:50:30Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > Someone should come up with a completely automated public turing test to tell computers and humans apart. Wouldn’t a computer capable of administering a turing test be able to pass a turing test? Better to use a Voight-Kampf machine, have the board software torture one of the hamsters everytime someone logs in, and if the person logging in feels bad, they’re human. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/8 "2012-06-07T16:52:38Z")
A hamster? What’s that?! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/9 "2012-06-07T16:59:06Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > What were the questions? Is Watson spamming us? All of them were simple math questions. I am not sure if posting them just gives the spammers a freebie, so I’m not going post the exact question without checking first. Spambots generally struggle with this kind of thing because they’re just programmed to fill in the registration forms. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/10 "2012-06-07T17:48:24Z")
As more and more sites require captchas of various kinds there’s been a rise of “semi-automated” bots, where the machines/programs are facilitated by real people to read captchas and solve puzzles. As long as there are [del]useless assholes[/del] humans willing to deal in this kind of business spam will always be with us. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/11 "2012-06-07T17:57:59Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > A hamster? What’s that?! A small furry rodent that runs in wheels. But that’s not important right now. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/12 "2012-06-07T18:04:44Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > A small furry rodent that runs in wheels. But that’s not important right now. This either means you’re a replicant, you routinely fail Turring tests, or you like threads about gladiators. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/13 "2012-06-07T18:08:10Z")
Just banned another one. Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue! ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/14 "2012-06-07T18:31:19Z")
Uhhhh…blue! No, green… -XT ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/15 "2012-06-08T00:36:48Z")
The current crop of “watch” spammers who post links to movies and tv things online are a significant increase of anything I’ve seen as a mod for 10 years. I think they’re real, live, people, usually from India, and it’s similar to trying to defeat the Viet Cong. If a population exists that is willing to throw their bodies into the fray, without regard to the consequences, they can outlast you for generations. You can’t win. All you can do is hope to contain the spread. I have suggested(not totally in jest), that we ban all IPs from India. That would do it. But, unfortunately, we have posters from India who aren’t spammers. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/16 "2012-06-08T02:16:39Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > All of them were simple math questions. I am not sure if posting them just gives the spammers a freebie, so I’m not going post the exact question without checking first. Spambots generally struggle with this kind of thing because they’re just programmed to fill in the registration forms. You see, this is how computers will eventually develop consciousness and self-awareness. As programs come along that help them surmount these hurdles, one day they’ll cross the line. Then we’re doomed. ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/17 "2012-06-08T03:02:15Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > The current crop of “watch” spammers who post links to movies and tv things online are a significant increase of anything I’ve seen as a mod for 10 years. > > I think they’re real, live, people, **usually from India** , and it’s similar to trying to defeat the Viet Cong. If a population exists that is willing to throw their bodies into the fray, without regard to the consequences, they can outlast you for generations. You can’t win. All you can do is hope to contain the spread. > > I have suggested(not totally in jest), that we ban all IPs from India. That would do it. But, unfortunately, **we have posters from India who aren’t spammers**. Hey, I am not a spammer and I am in fact the mister nice guy from India.😉 Yes, mods have explained that I sit in a spammers’s haven and that is why I get IP-banned occasionally.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/18 "2012-06-08T03:44:53Z")
I recently joined a new message board (we’re just friends, I swear!) and part of registration required I choose the “different” picture out of a 3x3 grid of images of ducks. Eight were the exact same picture and the remainder was obviously not. Is this type of captcha more effective at all than the standard “type the word seen here”? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/19 "2012-06-08T03:54:26Z")
> [@indian](#): > > Hey, I am not a spammer and I am in fact the mister nice guy from India.😉 > > Yes, mods have explained that I sit in a spammers’s haven and that is why I get IP-banned occasionally.😃 Reported. (d&r) ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388/20 "2012-06-08T04:07:27Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > I recently joined a new message board (we’re just friends, I swear!) and part of registration required I choose the “different” picture out of a 3x3 grid of images of ducks. Eight were the exact same picture and the remainder was obviously not. > > Is this type of captcha more effective at all than the standard “type the word seen here”? Sure, for a while. Then the spammers get wise and figure out how to get around the new stuff. > [@TubaDiva](#): > > As more and more sites require captchas of various kinds there’s been a rise of “semi-automated” bots, where the machines/programs are facilitated by real people to read captchas and solve puzzles. As long as there are [del]useless assholes[/del] humans willing to deal in this kind of business spam will always be with us. My non-random sampling of spammers suggests that the latest crop is of Internet users who have a specific interest, subscribe to a service that trolls for keywords, alerts them, they register and post in an attempt to drive traffic to their commercial site. They might even post in the correct forum or relevant thread. It doesn’t look like fully-automated spam, but some searching often turns up similar (but not identical) behavior in other message boards and blogs. Harder to defend against than previous schemes because they have a plausible purpose to post. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-spam/624388.md?page=2)