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Lyndalou

IMPORTANT Remove all External links from your signatures

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To all members

 

Recently, we've been dealing with some spammers on the site. Although this hasn't been affecting anyone's ability to post topics, it is affecting them when they are clicking on unverified links. So, to try to cut down on this happening, from now on we would request that members do not have links or advertising for external sites, either in their signaures or on their profile page.

 

If you are posting links within threads can you please message one of the moderators first so we are able to check it to make sure it is legitimate. This way we hope to ensure that members aren't subject to phishing (people copying your passwords etc).

 

This will apply to everyone who uses the site to keep our computers and phones safe from people who could exploit us. If you have any questions or issues regarding this request could you also private message one of the moderators about this and we will do our best to answer them for you.

 

Many Thanks

 

The Moderating Team

Edited by matzoball

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PLEASE READ

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To all members

 

Recently, we've been dealing with some spammers on the site. Although this hasn't been affecting anyone's ability to post topics, it is affecting them when they are clicking on unverified links. So, to try to cut down on this happening, from now on we would request that members do not have links or advertising for external sites, either in their signaures or on their profile page.

 

If you are posting links within threads can you please message one of the moderators first so we are able to check it to make sure it is legitimate. This way we hope to ensure that members aren't subject to phishing (people copying your passwords etc).

 

This will apply to everyone who uses the site to keep our computers and phones safe from people who could exploit us. If you have any questions or issues regarding this request could you also private message one of the moderators about this and we will do our best to answer them for you.

 

Many Thanks

 

The Moderating Team

 

Ah, is this in response to my my signature ?

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No, it's due to some spammers messing with the site. So in order to try and stop this from happening the moderating team and admins thought it best to have a blanket policy of no links in profiles or signatures.

 

It's already in the forum guidelines, but it bears repeating as we don't want anyone to have their computers or devices potentially exposed to attack.

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Mine is not a link because links will be blocked as certain entities and their sympathisers don't like the truth being known. But we have questioned this before, if links cannot be provided to external sources of help then what is the use of this website as a source of help for those that ask for help ?

 

Furthermore if links are banned then all those organisations seeking volunteers to fill in questionnaires to supposedly help ASD research are also banned which makes this place a no go area for those seeking research volunteers ?

Edited by Sa Skimrande

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No-one is saying that links cannot be provided Sa Skimrande as they are a valuable source of help as you say. Please do not twist what is self-explanatory into something it is not.

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What was said was that no links are to be put in profiles or signatures. The links that are in posts need to be checked out - that's all. You've posted a lot of links lately and they are still there aren't they?

 

The research questionnaires are actually run by the moderating team before they are posted already and have been for a long time - so people can still do research or contribute to it as well.

 

We're trying to make sure that you and our other forum members don't have their computers, and by extention themselves - exploited. Just trying to do the right thing.

Edited by matzoball

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No-one is saying that links cannot be provided Sa Skimrande as they are a valuable source of help as you say. Please do not twist what is self-explanatory into something it is not.

 

That is not what your opening post said, and it is why I asked for clarification, but I am coming to fear asking for clarification from other posters because the last time, I requested clarification - today, the poster I asked clarification of went off on one of which I found was highly uncalled for but I let it slide.

 

And by the way, I am not twisting anything, if anyone is, it is you for saying something totally different in above quoted post to what you said in your opening post.

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What was said was that no links are to be put in profiles or signatures. The links that are in posts need to be checked out - that's all. You've posted a lot of links lately and they are still there aren't they?

 

The research questionnaires are actually run by the moderating team before they are posted already and have been for a long time - so people can still do research or contribute to it as well.

 

We're trying to make sure that you and our other forum members don't have their computers, and by extention themselves - exploited. Just trying to do the right thing.

 

There exists a problem with your desire to verify all links by having members message moderators to request if they can post such a link, the problem is, moderators are not always online, so what are people to do, wait for mod approval as and when a mod appears and do all mods have access to other mods messages ?

 

But if one has to wait for approval when they are perfectly capable of verifying links themselves, what is that going to do to any essence of help on this forum, for people having to message a moderator for permission it is going to kill help for people will be less inclined to go through all palaver to help someone else ?

 

But the internet is what it is wherever we may wander online we exposed to countless dangers where we are free to download whatever we wish and reap what comes with it, it is why most have anti virus and anti malware protection for just such an occasion, so really there is no need to seek to protect people's hardware when they are capable of doing it themselves as to face it, no other website makes such requests, so why here and further to that no other website requests such as you are here, so what's the real reason ?

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Andy, your first question has been answered.

 

We are just trying to cut down the opportunities for phishing/spamming that anti virus and anti malware won't protect against. This site doesn't have the in-built capability to detect phishing.

 

You are turning something quite innocent into another conspiracy, which it isn't. Pardon my bluntness but that's the way it is.

 

No one has went into your posts and deleted any of your links, as they have been checked out and found to be ok.

 

But sometimes people do post links to sites that can be dangerous or even a ruse to steal a password or two.

 

 

A lot of websites have measures against phishing and spamming, this is no different.

 

I'm sorry if I'm not giving you the answer you want, but I'm being completely straight with you so I'm giving you the only answer I can.

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I am sorry, it just seemed kind of curious that this topic should suddenly appear initiated by a moderator of whom I had requested clarification from regarding another topic, a poster who had responded to my request by going off on one which was as I have previously mentioned I believe was uncalled for and quite upsetting, leading me to understand a different approach, that of requesting clarification instead om my usual approach was not welcome nor indeed the right way to go about seeking understanding.

 

Now I totally appreciate some are not interested in what I have to say as I do understand what I can be like sometimes, but the solution is to answer the question in the politest possible way so as not to cause upset, not exasperate the situation by ranting against and then initiating threads such as these which to me come across wholly as retaliatory given the obvious mood my request created, where I suspect what I warned against back at the new year where we had that round of nastiness leading to the resignation of some members, that of moderator abuse of privilege.

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I can promise you that this thread is not in any way retailiatory, nor is it in any way an abuse of privilege.

 

As I have explained, there are genuine reasons for this thread - none of which are to get at anyone in any way.

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Then to clarify ;

 

Ordinary members can no longer post links to external websites without prior messaging a moderator who will then verify the link as to how safe it is and then message the ordinary member to say they can post that link ?

 

A question based on the above ; where does personal bias fit into this, can it exist that a moderator can decide against an external link because they disagree with the content ?

 

Do other moderators have access to other moderators private messaging, because the situation exists that if one messages a moderator who is online at the time, that moderator can go offline as suits their lifestyle and might not be on site again for any amount of time there leaving the ordinary member unanswered, of which I can tell you now ordinary members could very well be upset with ?

 

You see, I have experienced what I suspect was moderator abuse of privilege on this website before, where a moderator sought to silence my questioning and there pursued me via private messaging asking asinine questions not related to the topics in hand of which I found deeply upsetting and indeed threatening and having experienced that I can't quite forget and so I will naturally be suspicious and what occurred today has reignited that suspicion, I am sure you will understand.

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Sa Skimrande

 

The sole reason for having forum guidelines and rules as well as a moderating team is to ensure the forum is a safe, friendly and supportive place for all members touched by ASD.

 

I can assure you that advice, guidance and rules are in no way intended to single out individual members.

 

Moderators perform a vital but at times difficult role and must make decisions in the interests of the whole community.

 

Any members are free to contact one of the forum admins if they feel that a moderator has abused their position which is why admins in general do not moderate the forum.

 

Kind regards

 

 

Lufty

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Then to clarify ;

 

Ordinary members can no longer post links to external websites without prior messaging a moderator who will then verify the link as to how safe it is and then message the ordinary member to say they can post that link ?

 

A question based on the above ; where does personal bias fit into this, can it exist that a moderator can decide against an external link because they disagree with the content ?

 

Do other moderators have access to other moderators private messaging, because the situation exists that if one messages a moderator who is online at the time, that moderator can go offline as suits their lifestyle and might not be on site again for any amount of time there leaving the ordinary member unanswered, of which I can tell you now ordinary members could very well be upset with ?

 

You see, I have experienced what I suspect was moderator abuse of privilege on this website before, where a moderator sought to silence my questioning and there pursued me via private messaging asking asinine questions not related to the topics in hand of which I found deeply upsetting and indeed threatening and having experienced that I can't quite forget and so I will naturally be suspicious and what occurred today has reignited that suspicion, I am sure you will understand.

 

Perhaps a compromise can be reached here.

 

in regards to posts, yes you are right moderators aren't always online. But there are one or two on at least once an hour so we can endeavour to check posts that have links in them with view to stopping the issues we are trying to remedy here. The only way a link would be deleted is if indeed it was an attempt to attack the site.

 

What I do suggest on your part, and other forum members is that if they feel that there may be a chance for offence, upset or distress that they mention some sort of disclaimer to that effect when they have a link in the post.

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Lets keep this sensible. Sa Skimrande this thread is not about you and it was not raised because of something you have or have not done.

 

Lately there have been some new moderators appointed. I'm one of them too. We are looking at the guidelines already set up by previous moderators and are ensuring they are adhered to. We are doing the best we can and have volunteered to be moderators. So please appreciate that we are learning on the job.

 

Yes moderators can communicate with eachother. That is how the site is moderated. There are a number of moderators that do different roles or specialise in certain areas. Myself I tend to lurk in the Education forum as I have experience of that.

 

We [moderators], want the site to be somewhere where people can just chat, or get help and advice. We dont want them to come to the site and then experience problems due to visiting external links that other users might have as part of their profile or signature.

 

Regarding external links in posts. Matzoball's suggestion sounds workable. Remember this is a family forum, with some members being more vulnerable than others. We are not suggesting that anyone would deliberately post a link that would cause problems, but from our side, if a link does cause a problem and it is bought to our attention we have to deal with it.

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You need to take this:

"Edit Signature

Your signature may contain:

  • • Any number images
  • • Images of any size
  • • Any number of URLs
  • • Any number of lines

"

 

out of the signature settings page then :P

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Thank you for drawing our attention to this Willow. We'll discuss this further with the forum co-hosts as there appear to be a certain amount of information contained within the rules which needs to be updated including contacts. There also appear to be some things which could be deemed contradictory as you have pointed out.

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Hi Willow - we are in the process of revising the rules, and this is a revision due to spamming and phishing issues.

 

Although the physical ability exists to have a url in the signature, the new revision asks that forum members(including moderators) don't have links to external sites in their signatures or profiles.

 

So it would be much appreciated if you could remove yours thanks x

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Hi Willow - we are in the process of revising the rules, and this is a revision due to spamming and phishing issues.

 

Although the physical ability exists to have a url in the signature, the new revision asks that forum members(including moderators) don't have links to external sites in their signatures or profiles.

 

So it would be much appreciated if you could remove yours thanks x

 

I have removed the links.

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