Help, I am not a Spammer but ...

[D P Dance]

.. two of my recent posts have been earmarked as spam. What am I doing wrong?

[nukecad]

Don't worry it happens to us all, the spam filters here can be a bit over-enthusiastic at times about moderating posts.

It's always a balance between annoying people by letting some spam through, or annoying people by having an occasional genuine post sent for moderation.

Things to try and avoid:

• Editing your posts - it's usually (not always) OK to edit a post once to correct typos etc. But do it more than once and the filters may see it as suspicious activity. (Spammers often post something innocuous and then edit the spam in later).
• Posting multiple links in the same post. (Spam posts often have multiple weblinks).
• Repetative use of the same words/phrase.
• Bad language. (Of course).

If/when it happens then the post is still there but has gone for moderation/approval before it will be displayed.

[D P Dance]

Thank you, that explaims it. I am guilty of both editing of posts and posting several links.

[nukecad]

If it happens to something important then usually a PM to 'Moderator2' will get it approved more quickly.

[D P Dance]

It has just happened to two more posts, one contained two links, the other only one. Clearly something is broke.

[nukecad]

There may be a filter that says you need to have a certain number of posts before links can be posted without needing approval. Again that's a typical anti-spam measure used by many fora, but each sets their own limit and usually won't say just what that limit is. On some fora every post, links or not, needs to be approved until you reach their 'reliability' target.

[leaseholder64]

What's broke is society, which is making it necessary to use such measures in the first place. Spammers react to measures by changing their techniques to avoid them, which basically means changing the spam to less look less like spam. In order to still block the spam, one has to make it more easy to accidentally block legitimate material.

Having said that, I think I have only had one false detection, so there mus be something in your style that is triggering it. Also note that spammers often start by trying to get recognized as legitimate posters, so with only 11 posts to your name, the system could treat you as being a spammer trying to build credibility.

[leaseholder64]

Having looked at the ones that made it, you have at least two redactions for "naming and shaming".

[nukecad]

Ahh yes, If you are asking for advice or giving advice then that's one thing If you are having a rant against an organisation/company then it will get looked at differently.

[D P Dance]

Thank you all. With over 11,000 posts to my credit on another board, I do not imagine it is my style which is causing this, but if it is, and someone can point it out, I can easily alter it.

WRT "naming and shaming" , I was only aware of one. Posting a link to an Allagents review page which is in the public domain is hardly actionable. Where does one draw the line, are "Which? reports allowed?

[nukecad]

You won't get a moderator to say what anti-spam rules/measures are in use on their particular forum other than in general terms. (Why give the spammers any clues?).

In general the forum will post the rules, the ones for this forum can be found in the blue menu bar above.

[jpkeates]

Posting a link to an Allagents review page which is in the public domain is hardly actionable.

If the allagents review is defamatory, linking to it might be a republication.
Something being on a web site isn't in the public domain as a defence to defamation.