Your take on moderating first time users...

Just curious as to how you handle first time users at your forums. I'm wondering if it's wise to limit newly "Registered" users to creating an "Introduction" thread first, and it's moderated. Then once confirming if they're spam or legit, elevate their "status" to "Member" usergroup, which gives them more forum access and feature access?

Basically all "main forums", like News and Updates, Suggestions and Feedback, Member Web Sites and etc are limited to "reply only" but moderated as well. All other community forums can be seen and etc, just not able for registered users to post new threads and etc though. In a sense, basically forcing users to post a decent Introduction thread first, then be manually elevated to "Member".

Is this considered bad? I guess, spam prevention falls on software and anti-spam plugins as well as the staff to delete and ban spammers. I guess I just want the users to post at least a good Introduction thread, and it be known that they're in fact a legit/member"... Not just letting any newly registered person join, spam bombing any and all sections.

As done here, you need to make a few posts first, before accessing marketplace and other areas. I suppose I could do that as well, but if they know that, then they might also post X to XX crappy posts that don't help either lol. I just want to also make "legit" users into "Member" group for all "legit" people though too. Thoughts?

Quote from GeGeek

Hello,
you just want to give more access for legit users ? And filter spams ?

If it's right, i think i can suggest you a great plugin we have tested and approved to block spams from register page directly : https://www.woltlab.com/pluginstore/pl…l?pluginID=1242
We have tested it and it works very well ! No more spam accounts !
Now you will have only right people !

You can set automatic access to a specific group with activity points too( for exemple ou set 5 points for new messages, at beginning the user is in the groupe "new", after creating a new post he win 2 points and is automatically putted on the "member" group )

Play with permissions of groups too

Thanks for the helpful reply.. I actually had that plugin bookmarked and didn't get to install it yet hehe. Sounds like what I need though! But yeah, I basically want to have all "legit" users in "Member" group, in general. Cause anyone could join as "registered" users... and spam whole entire forum no matter what. And if I limit the access to the "Registered" group itself, and put "Registered" users on "moderation"...I can control WHO gets "in"/full forum access or who doesn't. And by limiting "Registered" user group by forum / category itself.

I wish there was a way to totally remove users from "Everyone", and "Registered" groups after being verified and confirmed "legit" users. Because once "confirmed" or verified they're legit users, there isn't really any need for them to be in "Everyone" and "Registered" user groups. "Everyone" and "Registered" groups are good for limiting access to new users and guests...Which is what's good about "Everyone" group.

Example; If Johnny joins the forums and is spammer, he's kept at "Registered" group only / with limitations. Done. If Betty joins the forums and is legit, and she makes it through HoneyPot plugin checks, and posts legit threads/posts.. she's made "Member". Then no reason for limitations of "Everyone" and "Registered" groups anymore for Betty.. she's already proven herself a "legit" user. I'll install that plugin though, and do some more group permission adjustments.

One thing I found wrong though, me and two buddies all 3 joined the test forums last month, and we all 3 don't have any posts to our accounts at all. But after making group promotion from "Registered" to "Member", as 1 point to become "Member".. we ALL 3 were moved to "Member" group.. even though we all 3 have zero posts? I guess this is a bug or we're promoted, because we've been joined for a month time frame? lol. Thanks GeGeek for your help and suggestion.

Quote from GeGeek

Maybe when you complete your registration you win one point, so try to set the group promotion with more than one point.
Personnally i would create a welcome message for new users wich explain them to create a presentation post to get Full access, or i would create a global announcement only viewable by the registered group to explain that.
This group would not have full access, just access to create a new thread on a specific forum, ans nothing else, just that and only read other threads. It will force it to create a thread. After i would set 3 points minimum for each new post, and would set to 3 the number of points minimum they need to be promoted to the "members" group.

Yeah, I was wondering about that, getting 1 point automatically after registering lol. I was wondering if points are given automatically, for each profile field they filled in and completed too lol. Maybe users get 1 point for adding avatar, 1 point for choosing their gender, 1 point for filling out their Bio/about me information, 1 point for entering their "location", etc etc. I wish there is easy way to edit ALL points and etc though. I tried finding the points in ACP, but couldn't find it lol. Is there place in ACP to make global announcements for only registered users? I'll have to look around.. I think I'll make it 15 points to join "Member" group. Then make 10 points per thread they create, and 5 points earned per post they make. Cause anyone / even if spammer slipped through HoneyPot plugin.. could post one spam thread, earn 10 points.. and get access quickly lol. However, if the spammer posted one thread and earned 10 points, and he posted spam post for reply... he's "Member" too hahaha. I think I'll limit the "Registered" group permissions tightly.

Quote from GeGeek

Yes you right. You will never be able to detect human spammers ( there is a plugin which detect when an user add more than 3links on a post ).
So the only perfect way is to read all new posts and add legit users to legit member group manually. Do you have a big community?

That's what I was thinking too.. I'm also going to limit Registered group, with limitations for what they can do or not do... I'll make sure the Registered group posts are moderated first, before their posts appear in those sections. Once known they're "legit", then I'll make them "Member" or it automatically makes them "Member" with group promotion. No, I'm not even done building the forum / community yet lol. I still have alot of work to do sigh.. I haven't given out the URL either. Rather keep it "secret" for now till it's completed.

Quote from GeGeek

Ok, no problem.
Moderate new posts of registrered group is a good solution
But maybe it's more judicious to moderate posts after and not before they are approved, because it can scare off users i think if they see their first post not direct viewable. They can think your board is over moderated...maybe

Yeah true... I don't like my posts moderated after, either lol. What I have now, is that "Introduction" section is moderated only for "Registered" users. And the "Registered" users reply posts, for "news and announcements", and "Suggestions and Feedback" section is only moderated. All other user groups isn't moderated at all. I think I'll change this though, and not moderate all the registered user's threads and posts, because it might scare them off anyway. I know I don't like my posts moderated all the time either, so I best not do it at all then for registered users. I'll just limit "Registered" users permissions, and make point requirement to upgrade to "Member", and also just have me and my moderators / staff users keep eye on "Welcome" sections.