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ActiveRain Comment Spam Poll

By Maureen McCabe

Real Estate Agent with HER Realtors

April 14, 2008 12:23 AM

Two recent posts about Comment SPAM on ActiveRain:

Is it rude to have your website link on your comments?

"Don't advertise yourself in the comments of another member's blog"

You can choose multiple answers in this poll but can only vote once.

*Rich Jacobson suggests:

In his Would you Like a Side of Spam with Your Comments?" - AR Guidelines Re-Visited Rich Jacobson wrote:

"If you encounter comment SPAM in one of your blog posts, don't automatically 'delete' the offending comment. Contact the member first through e-mail. Kindly inform them that this practice violates the ActiveRain Guidelines, and to please 'edit' their comment accordingly "

Yes I did get a nasty response from one comment spammer recently. I shared it in "Don't advertise yourself in the comments of another members blog" which comes from the ActiveRain Guidelines... but I believe the nasty responses are few and far between. Most of the people who put comment spam on ActiveRain don't know better, IMHO.

The "dyed in the wool, bound and determined, I came to ActiveRain to promote myself, I'm going to spam if I want to" members... my approach is don't respond to their comment and just delete it when comments die down... yes if others mention the comment, there's a gap... that's life...

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Maureen McCabe

HER Realtors - Columbus, OH

Columbus Ohio Real Estate

One of the others says:

"It tends to bother me more when I see it on someone else's post than my own..."

that's interesting..

Thanks all for the comments even Viagra from John Lockwood

Kathleen it is confusing to new people because some people allow others to advertise on their blog. One of the criticisms of ActiveRain is it looks like a splog... all spam no content, no meaningful comments, memvers spam one another... in some cases that is true.

Apr 14, 2008 10:55 PM

Scott Guay

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services PenFed Realty - Ocean Pines, MD

Associate Broker. Ocean City and Ocean Pines MD

People should not do it but it only hurts them in the eyes of others here on AR.

Apr 14, 2008 11:03 PM

Karen Rice Keller Williams Real Est

Keller Williams Real Estate - Hawley, PA

Northeast PA & Lake Wallenpaupack Home Sales

^^That's one thing that still bugs me Maureen, that the people who criticize The Rain see only the spam and the stupid worthless comments.

There is good content here - it's difficult to find sometimes, but I could be here all day and read only a handful of the "good" stuff. I do wish that there was more engaging dialogue here but then again, who has time??!! If we're out selling real estate, who has time to banter? LOL

Apr 14, 2008 11:43 PM

Maureen McCabe

HER Realtors - Columbus, OH

Columbus Ohio Real Estate

Scott It does hurt the members who do it. It feels so much more personal than a bot leaving spam about Viagra or Cialis, on a blog. I don't let it bother me if it is a new member because I know many don't have a clue but when it is someone who continues to do it, it is different.

Karen I think more people could see the good content, banter or even deep meaningful conversations on ActiveRain better if it were not for the garbage, between comment spam and those who use their AR blogs as splogs. I think the majority of AR members are part of the problem, even if their content is good because:

we put up with comment spam on our blogs

we don't tell new members to read the guidelines (as Rich asked on the behalf of ActiveRain)

we see someone come up with a gimmick to rack up AR points and follow the leader... hey so and so is getting away with it , I may as well try.... or at the least we don't speak out about the gamers on ActiveRain. It is difficult because you can not personally attack someone ...

ActiveRain is a great place for people new to blogging and social networking to learn but it is also a place to learn some really bad habits too.

Apr 15, 2008 12:22 AM

Karen Rice Keller Williams Real Est

Keller Williams Real Estate - Hawley, PA

Northeast PA & Lake Wallenpaupack Home Sales

you do make an excellent point, there, Maureen.

Apr 15, 2008 12:23 AM

Andrew Magliochetti CCIM

Helios Realty and Development - Chicago, IL

I think hyperlinks in relevant comments are OK, but blatant spamming in pretty annoying.

Apr 15, 2008 06:15 AM

Joeann Fossland

Advantage Solutions Group - Tucson, AZ

Master Certified Coach to Motivated Agents

Good discussion. Thanks for posting the poll. Interesting to see the variety of responses. I am glad to have people come by and don't mind if they promote themselves with signatures. I think it makes them a bit more creative than someone using none. But, free speech is a wonderful thing and AR does have rules of the road.

Apr 15, 2008 07:58 AM

Kathy McGraw

CELLing Realty - White Water, CA

Riverside County CA Real Estate

Interesting vote......and I especially enjoyed the part of your post that said:

Apr 15, 2008 11:44 AM

Maureen McCabe

HER Realtors - Columbus, OH

Columbus Ohio Real Estate

Graffiti on the side of a building can be considered creative by some including the "artist" and it is a form of expression. The property owner is usually less appreciative.

Thanks all for the comments.

Apr 15, 2008 01:45 PM

Ryan Martin

Pacific Continental Realty, LLC - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham Commercial RE Broker

Maureen - I don't spam other ActiveRain members and I don't tolerate spam back. I typically send a private warning, if the member is "new", otherwise their comment get deleted.

~~BLOG COMMENT SPAM~~

Apr 16, 2008 11:37 AM

Maureen McCabe

HER Realtors - Columbus, OH

Columbus Ohio Real Estate

Ryan... I hope I never spammed anyone... I always wonder if I did when I was new before I knew better... it would have been before I joined ActiveRain. Did I spam Rain City Guide (back in the good old days when it was written by Dustin, Galen, Rob?) or Sellsius Real Estate Blog or Grow-a-Brain.... or did the real estate bloggers who I hung out with early on... did we comment spam one another??

I know I have had a few nasty responses from members who I have asked to remove comment spam the example above is just the latest and the crudest but the majority of people are gracious... it's funny given the exact same request how different the reaction can be.

Apr 16, 2008 02:31 PM

Ryan Martin

Pacific Continental Realty, LLC - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham Commercial RE Broker

Maureen - I think most people understand why comment spam is inappropriate if you tell them nicely and privately. I had one guy (who works in my area) that was continually leaving me meaningless comments followed by his phone number and several links to his website. Otherwise, I haven't had too many problems.

Apr 17, 2008 09:22 AM

Maureen McCabe

HER Realtors - Columbus, OH

Columbus Ohio Real Estate

I believe I know WHO you speak of... Ryan. I was puzzled by how long it went on an how clueless he seemed to be. If it is whom (who ?) I am thinking of he was leaving comments outside of the area, with the contact info... I am surprised that he would comment locally and do the same thing... but then someone from my companies administrative office (Corporate) left a comment on my ColumbusBestBlog.com offering to help readers with their new construction needs.

I was so angry when I saw her comment (in comment moderation) Comment Spam From Your Own Company???

Apr 17, 2008 09:43 AM

Ryan Martin

Pacific Continental Realty, LLC - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham Commercial RE Broker

Maureen - I actually decided to get ahead (I am not big on getting even). After I asked him to stop, he continued. Naturally I deleted his comments, but he finally stopped after I left him a HUGE spam comment back.

Apr 17, 2008 09:57 AM

Maureen McCabe

HER Realtors - Columbus, OH

Columbus Ohio Real Estate

Ryan I am not sure how I missed your comment. I am glad he has stoppped.

Here's a recent response to a request to remove a graphic logo from a comment left on my blog. I have removed both of our email addresses, from his email response to my request., which seems somewhat less than gracious to me He has also similar comments on a couple of my ActiveRain posts, since. You can see at the bottom that I ask him politely to remove the advertising from the comment, as requested by Rich Jacobson.

He has posted two more comments on my AR post with the logo since.

I did not notice the other two comments with graphics on the post... Oh yeah I guess I do remember one It's her name, that does not bother me, I would rather it is not there but it is not as offensive as his ad. It is the claim to be God's Gift to Real Estate, Realtor of Choice in XYZ Market, The Big Cheese of Mortgage Lending to me that makes it comment spam on my blog.

The very first one has a graphic... never even noticed it. It does not bother me. It does not look like an ad in the same way to me. I obviously did not feel comment spammed.

***********************************************************************************
My, my, my, you are a fragile soul with a need to control what others do so as to not weaken your perceived rankings. Actually, that takes a very weak ego and low self esteem to be so threatened by a signature in color.

You really should worry more about your own personal web site and not attempt to control such a diverse site as AR unless you become one of the owners. There are hundreds of graphic signatures on AR. Maybe you should put up a poll to see if you could get support to ban or have a "law" against them next.

You have two other comments that are signature graphics on your post. Mine does not link to my blog or anywhere else, nor do I care if anyone ever goes to my blog from a comment I left on a post.
--

    -------------- Original message from Maureen McCabe - Central Ohio real estate : --------------

    You've received a contact message from your Contact Form on the ActiveRain network.

    Message details:
    From: Maureen McCabe - Central Ohio real estate
    Email:

Subject: please remove the graphic advertising yourself from my post

please remove your graphic advertising yourself from your comment on my post.

Apr 30, 2008 11:46 PM

Maureen McCabe

HER Realtors - Columbus, OH

Columbus Ohio Real Estate

hey anyone... how long do you usually wait before deleting a comment with spam in it?

I was spammed by someone yesterday. I've emailed the member to remove the big ad from the comment....

I had seen the same individual comment spam someone in their MLS. She has never deleted it from her AR blog...

Jul 01, 2008 04:00 AM

Real Estate

Hawley, PA

I remove it immediately, if it's a blatant and obnoxious looking ad with a dopey comment. If someone posted a thoughtful response to my blog but included their "spam" in it then I would ask them to remove it in the next day or so. Then on day 3 I'd just take down myself...

Jul 01, 2008 04:07 AM

Karen Rice Keller Williams Real Est

Keller Williams Real Estate - Hawley, PA

Northeast PA & Lake Wallenpaupack Home Sales

oops, that was me ^^^ I was logged in under the "OFFICE BLOG" profile...LOL

Jul 01, 2008 04:09 AM

Anonymous

Not Yet Licensed

hey anyone... how long do you usually wait before deleting a comment with spam in it?

I think 30 seconds is about right. :)

Jul 01, 2008 04:12 AM

#34

Ross Quintana

Real E Smarter - Spokane, WA

Real E Smarter Real Estate Coach - 509-362-1966

I think if people are putting links in your comments that generally isn't good, they should ask first, I did this when Istarted but didn't know it wan't ok until someone told me. I use my picture and some people have a logo, because this is how they are known on AR , but they should't have thier number or ad in it.

Jul 01, 2008 04:19 AM

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