Bitcoin Forum

hello

I have a suggestion, don't know if more users will like it or not but I want to share my thoughts

after we have seen there are a lot of new users coming and involved in scams(not all but most), and people are farming account, spamming everywhere

what if this forum disable new user registrations and registrations only possible via invites only and you can also put the limits how much invites a user can send based on their rank, and stop negative trust users to send invites,only Full member and above users can send invites


please share your thoughts, i think it will control a lot of spam on this forum
Admin please consider this if you think its a good idea to control the spam



Regards
Neotox...

I don't agree.

new real users (new real bitcoiners) should be able to fire up an account here. invite only is killing this.

I don't think this is going to happen. One point of the forum is to get more people involved into Bitcoin. If registration is closed then less people will join the community which means less people will use Bitcoin.

I don't think its a good idea to stop new users from registering. For a new person introduced to bitcoin, it will be harder to join. Rather people will start selling accounts, which would kind of mean the same thing.

A better solution to stop the spam would be not allow new registrations from an existing IP. But even that has some limitations, as there can always be multiple people using the same IP. Disabling registrations through TOR, and checking cookies could be another solution.

Farming account is not againts the rule, but if you post crappy posts or spam with your alt, it will be againts the rule. One thing is it will control the number of spam , which is might be but what if someone wish to learn about bitcoin in this forum and doesnt have any friends which could give him an invite link?

And also providing an invite link for a Full member or above could be abused, because some people might sell their invites link for an extra penny, some people just tend to milk the every penny with their account

I have seen accounts that banned for farming even they had quality posts without spams

this is unlikely. The owner was likely shit posting from at least one account that got banned

I don't think it's a good idea as this would prevent new users who don't know any member from this forum from joining this forum. Instead of this, account farming shouldn't be allowed as I don't get what's the use of having more than one account unless your one account is banned for few days and one needs to appeal or members are able to sell their alt accounts.

That would mean banning new users who didn't know it before from entering.

I got into it by sheer accident. I didn't even know such a cool community on Bitcoin existed. ;)
If an invite was mandatory, I still wouldn't be here.

I also don't support your idea, this is a forum and it should be opened for the registration without the use of an invite.

Seems like the forum being an invite-only is far-fetched and would contradict the purpose of introducing bitcoin to new users. If this would be the case, I doubt that people would even bother getting their hands on bitcoin. They can use different search engines in finding the right information that they need, but isn't it a bit reliable if you could just directly ask to the members of the community and to those who had been using bitcoins for long? This forum can be the first place they will seek for help if ever they needed one, given that there are many bitcoiners here that could help them on whatever there is that they're having a hard time with.

Probably your intention is good, but this is not going to happen. Because, the moment this forum become restricted, another forum will pop up to take its place.

Didn't Goat create an invite only forum? It really isn't a good idea and will just turn it into one big exclusive boys club and people will just sell their invites to the highest bidder anyway.

i agree...

it append to me too..
no spam
no FUD
no SCAM..
but i have user banned...

Unfortunately, here we are not in a democracy.

even if bitcoin forum still a great resurce for real bitcoiners...

Think it would send out the wrong message, we want to encourage new members to the forum not make it into some exclusive geek fest.

Determined people would still be able to abuse the invite-only system so I can't see how it would deter scammer/spammers etc

Looking at your previous posts it's not surprising you were banned for what I'm going to assume was spam. And this forum might not be a democracy but I'm sure most users would be against this proposition.

Well this will just stop new people from letting in join the bitcoin world.
Also it wouldn't stop people who scam and who farm account. Account farmers will invite themselves to make new accounts and scammers will invite new accounts to scam. So don't know how can this be beneficial.

I disagree with this idea. There are people who stumble upon this website by accident and register.
If this was an invite-only website, I can say that I wouldn't have got an invite and I wouldn't be here.  :)

Exactly this.

Bitcointalk seems to be based around freedom - users have the freedom to do pretty much anything they want, they can post anything they want, feedback isn't removed, etc. By having an invite only registration it would take a huge portion of that freedom away.

Don't agree with this one. You're close a real newbie to enter bitcoin world best forum.
For scammer etc it's just better to ban it's IP forever

I certainly don't like it. Bitcointalk must be and stay open for people who are genuinely interested in Bitcoin.

As sukamasoto mentioned, it would be better to ip ban scammers instead of allowing them to make new accounts and continue to scam people over and over again.

+1. I agree with your proposal!  8)

A theory, and what will happen if some users will start to sell "invites" of bitcointalk.org? This is why we don't need an invite for register, it's free and it will be free for ever. If you have received a valid reply from someone I suggest you to lock this thread, thanks.

I dont think what you said is possible, the best thing is not to trade with newbies and if you want to then use escrow.

i think this policy it is already in use...
if you register with tor,
bitcoin talk ask you money to enable the registered user...

if i find the thread again i post here....

No, you are wrong. The registration through TOR is not disabled, the fee that you will pay if you'll register through tor it's only to enable the "post" function (not for nothing else). More info at: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=711968.msg8044683#msg8044683

you are right!!!
the fee it's required to enable posts...
not to register...
but at the end,
it is the same thing....
you are registered, but you are not enabled to post until you pay according to your "Unit of evil"

 ;)

Disabling registrations through Tor? Why would anyone want to do that? There are people out there that depend on Tor, for a few their lives depend on Tor working. Maybe some of them are into bitcoin, why would you close the door for people that actually need our help?

Instead of an open minded community where people can discuss their ideas, ask questions and get help, OP wants to create a private club. Go ahead, I dont want to be part of it. I did not know anyone into bitcoin when I started here. All I know about bitcoin, I learned here and I would not have been here if an invite was required. We probably endured newbie jail together and now you are asking the admins to close the doors? For what?

#1 "new users scam". Scammers scam, no matter how old their account is. Plenty of scammers already have accounts, what would stop them from inviting themselves? Lets just assume for a second they would have to buy an invite for some reason - because we all know this will happen once access here is limited further - scammers have the most reason to invest into an invite, because they have a plan to ROI. Honest people that come to ask questions do not.

#2 "farming accounts" would naturally increase as a valid business if you further limit the supply of accounts.

#3 "spamming everywhere" new accounts have a very hard time to spam. They are limited to a post every 360 seconds in case you forgot how awful long that is, create a new account and try to participate in a discussion. Even Jr. Members are still significantly limited.

We want Bitcoin to grow and take over the world, but we want to make it impossible for new users to discuss their new currency on the biggest forum for the currency that's out there? Makes a lot of sense...

I doubt that account farmers and scammers would find it difficult to get invites. This proposal would only inconvenience real newbies who we want to welcome to the forum.

This won't stop the farmers who is already the members on this forum, they can still invite themselves to create more accounts, and this would only the real newbie who want to get involved with this forum.

Id agree with Quickseller here. The only thing that perhaps might be a smart move, yet Perhaps difficult to implement in keeping with the spirit of Bitcointalks view on privacy, would be to require more information during registration so that its a bit more difficult to create fake/spam/scam accounts.

Phone verification could be a good idea. Anyone wanting to remain truly anonymous could simply go buy a burner with cash from a 7-11 and buy some pre-paid text/minutes.

That would likely weed out 90% of fake accounts.

Strato

No. I don't think too much info should be required, as isn't bitcoin all about privacy?

I agree that scammers should be blocked, but putting stuff out like your address, exact place where you live etc., is a little bit ridiculous IMO. Also, scammers can just fake the info.

Buying a burner number for phone number verification is unnecessary, I don't think people should have to pay or disclose their real identity to participate in this forum.

No if there is to be a special section it could be an invite only section of the forums
Or a Hero Account and higher area
Would say Legends but that would take ages for anyone to get into from scratch.

I don't want to see things like "[WTS] Bitcointalk Invites" in other forums. Read shorena's post will give you an idea why we don't want to see that.


I don't agree with limited privacy. Scammers will buy a virtual number and things needed easily but honest users will turn away. It is same for most strict rules. The current system is good.


There is already donator and staff forum.

I agree.  I simply stated its tough to create a safeguard without adding some sort of safeguard against people just creating lots of accounts.

The phone idea was just one... :)

Strato

One that doesn't cost 10 BTC to enter and might see more active users
Albeit your trading in prices for Time accumulated instead.

I think thats an interesting idea. Ill likely make Hero in 2.5 months, but back to the idea.

Having either a X Member Level or higher area OR giving members the option when creating original threads to only allow X Level or higher to access could be interesting.

Just an idea. But really this in and of itself stifles the concept of sharing information.

Perhaps just a "Hero's Lounge' would be nice.

Strato

...for as I see it,
this limit could be incremented....
without problem...
i mean for newbee and Jr. Membert too...

and another thing...
why introduce something like this:

if account is inactive for 180days, this value could be optimized,
mods bann it.

this is my 2 satoshi...

Definitely, TOR is not the problem. As a lot of users said "the spammer or scammer" will not stop to make their action against the newbie users also if the registration through TOR will be disabled. It does not exist a real solution to this problem, because the problem itself cannot be resolved (only with the continuing ban of farmer accounts).



Exactly, I have already explained here in this thread that make registration only through invites will complicate the situation because those scammer will start to selling invites outside the forum, and we should remember that this is a forum. Everyone is free to do whatever he wants, bit if he will catched he will be obviously banned (that's all).

I wonder what you would want to discuss with Hero Members that is not interesting for other members. I think the discussion would lack interesting inputs from those that do not post that much here. Some very smart people post from a Jr. Account. Why would you keep them out of your discussion?


I personally think its low enough already.


What does that have to do with the topic at hand? How would someone that is only active occasionally be a spam problem? Why 180 days? You would ban satoshi, just because they have not been around for a while. I see no good reason to ban someone for taking a lengthy break.


Exactly, banning Tor its not a solution as Tor is not the problem here. Its not even helping as cheap VPNs are easy to get. Even without that, one can just register accounts in bulk from a "clean" IP.

is not the case of satoshi...
obiouvsly...
but there are a lot of users farmed with 0 posts/activity....
do you think if they stay 45, 90 or 180 days without accesing/posting,
they will become active in one or two years?

i think not...

I say its both good and bad!

Good because : We can stop(not actually "stop" but "control") newbie scammers! You know, Investor-Based Games section is the common home for all newbie scammers.

Bad because: Not everyone who uses Bitcoin know the forum users. They know about Bitcoin but they can never join the forum because they know about the forum but they don't know any forum user and they don't get any invitation. Lets put it this way:

Account rank  less than Full Member can't post in the Gambling, games and rounds and Investor-Based Games Thread!

Why? In that way it will be discriminated all the honest newbie, jr member and member users. I think it doesn't exist a real solution to this problem, and it will never exist. The 'censorship" way doesn't work ;). Maybe the solution is "trade always with your own diligence".

I agree there are honest newbies because everyone was a newbie once , even satoshi. But honest newbies would never run a Ponzi would they? SO that's of no use for them :) That's why I think its fair enough to prevent newbies to post in the investor-based games ;)

Yay, Hero circlejerking.


In fact, I have seen it. People starting posting again after 1 year of absence and why not? I can perfectly imagine that this board is no longer interesting / appealing to a person, they focus on something else and return after a long break.


I had people argue that there is such a thing as a honest ponzi. Apparently everything is a matter of perspective and from some perspective ponzis that openly say they are one are considered some form of legit gambling. I have problems with this view, but who am I to tell the world what to see.

To repeat myself somewhat shorter. This forum is very open in many ways and restricting access here would IMHO destroy that.