Spam PMs

[Dreadful Scathe]

Originally Posted by Ski & Rock

Hi
Just got back from a 3 day inspection visit Club Vounaki Greece.
Now confirmed it is a fantastic holiday center. Check it out....!

blah blah blah - why did you send this by private msg as well ? Not the best way to attract punters i would have thought !!

[Andy McGregor]

Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe

blah blah blah - why did you send this by private msg as well ? Not the best way to attract punters i would have thought !!

Spam, spam, spam, spam,
Spam, spam, spam, spam,
Spam, spam, spam, spam,
Spaaaam
Wonderful spam,
Marvellous spam,
Glorious spam....

[Andy McGregor]

Originally Posted by Andy McGregor

Glorious spam....

As I received negative rep (from Gordon J Pownall) for this post I think I ought to explain.

Like Dreadful Scathe, I received a PM from Ski and Rock with the Subject "Another Dance & Sail in Greece September 19th 2004". The content of that PM was exactly the same as the start of this thread.

Firstly the "Another" seems to refer to the Ceroc Metro event as being the 'other' - but I could be wrong, maybe Ski and Rock has run a Dance and Sail event before.

Secondly, and the thing that has p1ssed me off, is that this is an abuse of the PM method of communication on this Forum. This is the first time, in my experience, that a PM has been used for SPAM. And I hope it is is the last

IMHO there is nothing wrong with starting a thread to promote your event. But I think that the PM system should not be used for this purpose. I hope that this spamming was an error of judgement by Ski and Rock which was caused by his/her enthusiasm for their event - and I expect that it will not be repeated now they've had their mistake pointed out

And Gordy Baby, don't worry, I can take the negative rep, hardly hurts at all, only when I laugh

p.s. The holiday sounds fab

[xSalsa_Angelx]

Originally Posted by Andy McGregor

As I received negative rep (from Gordon J Pownall) for this post I think I ought to explain.

Like Dreadful Scathe, I received a PM from Ski and Rock with the Subject "Another Dance & Sail in Greece September 19th 2004". The content of that PM was exactly the same as the start of this thread.

Firstly the "Another" seems to refer to the Ceroc Metro event as being the 'other' - but I could be wrong, maybe Ski and Rock has run a Dance and Sail event before.

Secondly, and the thing that has p1ssed me off, is that this is an abuse of the PM method of communication on this Forum. This is the first time, in my experience, that a PM has been used for SPAM. And I hope it is is the last

IMHO there is nothing wrong with starting a thread to promote your event. But I think that the PM system should not be used for this purpose. I hope that this spamming was an error of judgement by Ski and Rock which was caused by his/her enthusiasm for their event - and I expect that it will not be repeated now they've had their mistake pointed out

And Gordy Baby, don't worry, I can take the negative rep, hardly hurts at all, only when I laugh

p.s. The holiday sounds fab

Simple solution for this .... If you do not wish to receive further PM's then all you have to do is send a polite PM back asking not to do so in future.

Problem solved ... some of us like to be kept up-to-date with these things.

XsaX

[Andy McGregor]

Originally Posted by Andy McGregor

As I received negative rep (from Gordon J Pownall) for this post

Gordy baby has PM'd me to say he clicked on the wrong box by mistake and should have given me positive feedback. He probably couldn't see the screen through his cigarette smoke

Originally Posted by XSalsaAngelX

Simple solution for this .... If you do not wish to receive further PM's then all you have to do is send a polite PM back asking not to do so in future.

Problem solved ... some of us like to be kept up-to-date with these things.

XsaX

IMHO this wouldn't stop people using the PM system to spam us. I think the right place to announce events is a new thread not a PM. If everyone spammed us we'd reach our 800 posts limit in no time. Also, once we open the door to SPAM who knows what we might get offered

Maybe Franck could let us know what he thinks on this subject.

[Franck]

Originally Posted by Andy McGregor

Maybe Franck could let us know what he thinks on this subject.

Absolutely, I think that sending unrequested advertising via the Private Messaging system is not good, and not what it is intended for.
There are currently no limitations on posts in the Social events area so everyone can keep informed that way if they choose to. They can then request more info by PM if they wish.

The Private Messaging system has a few limits in place at the moment (max 5 users at once, no more than every 15 seconds etc...) and if more unsolicited advertising PMs are sent I'll have to tighten the restrictions which would be a shame for everyone.

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by Franck

The Private Messaging system has a few limits in place at the moment (max 5 users at once, no more than every 15 seconds etc...) and if more unsolicited advertising PMs are sent I'll have to tighten the restrictions which would be a shame for everyone.

If it becomes a problem, rather than penalising everyone with tighter restrictions, could not the perpetrators simply be banned from PMing at all, or maybe have their registrations suspended completely?

AFAICS, all those event organisers that also play a constructive role in the community here, also play perfectly fair and put their venue plugs in as threads in the social events area. (Apart from certain video adverts, but hey, that's come to be expected, and not as PMs in any case )

I can imagine that any that make a habit of sending PMs as spam will be very easily identifiable.

I don't think it will become a serious problem - we can rely on public censure and moderator retribution, which usually seem to have the desired effect

Chris

[under par]

No spam in PMs, lets use the threads for organisers to advertise events etc not the PMs

[linda]

[quote=IMHO this wouldn't stop people using the PM system to spam us. I think the right place to announce events is a new thread not a PM. If everyone spammed us we'd reach our 800 posts limit in no time. Also, once we open the door to SPAM who knows what we might get offered[/QUOTE]




Linda (the quiet one)

PS When are you venturing North of the Border?

[TheTramp]

Originally Posted by linda

PS When are you venturing North of the Border?

Don't encourage him Linda, he may come!!

Trampy

[Groovy Dancer]

Linda (the quiet one)

PS When are you venturing North of the Border?[/quote]


Quite soon, not too long now!!

[Andy McGregor]

Originally Posted by linda

Linda (the quiet one)

PS When are you venturing North of the Border?

This very night there have been discussions regarding a northern raid by me, Sue, Under Par and Mrs Par. We will be coming to the BFG and we will be very quiet too

[Gary]

Originally Posted by xSalsa_Angelx

Simple solution for this .... If you do not wish to receive further PM's then all you have to do is send a polite PM back asking not to do so in future.

Problem solved ... some of us like to be kept up-to-date with these things.

Hmm, I'd much prefer opt-in to opt-out. There are so many organisations out there who want to tell me about "fantastic opportunities", I don't want to have to tell every one of them individually that I'm not interested and please stop bothering me.

[Dreadful Scathe]

Originally Posted by Andy McGregor

Secondly, and the thing that has p1ssed me off, is that this is an abuse of the PM method of communication on this Forum. This is the first time, in my experience, that a PM has been used for SPAM. And I hope it is is the last

Well it wasn't. I just received this by PM....

Great New Dance Class Taught By 4 Time Scottish Boogie Woogie Dance Champions
...
No Partner Needed and Bar availabel
Great Dances and teachers
Teaching Boogie Woogie, Swing Glasgow Jive and 40s Hollywood Style
A Must attednd Class if you want to take your dancing to the next level

..its not even spult roight

[David Bailey]

Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe

..its not even spult roight

Name and shame?

Also, "A Must attednd Class if you want to take your dancing to the next level" - doesn't specify whether that level is up or down... :

[Minnie M]

Dick Van Dyke

[Dreadful Scathe]

thank you moderator for removing the bits that were saying where this was...stupidly that never occured to me - i just pasted the whole thing. Did anyone else get this PM ?

It was a new member that posted it. "Boogieman" in fact, I dont have an issue with naming he/she because they have not posted anything at all, only sent the PM's - so have not even been an active part of the forum. Its also no one I know.

[Lindsay]

Originally Posted by Franck

There are currently no limitations on posts in the Social events area so everyone can keep informed that way if they choose to.

Interesting

The boogieman thing has nothing to do with boogienights, for the record, only similarity is 'boogie'!!

[Tiggerbabe]

Originally Posted by Lindsay

Interesting

Quoted from a post dated June 2004