Spam is a big problem for any site that allows UGC (user generated content).

Recently I highlighted an example where my fav music mag, the NME, had their forums/message boards possibly removed from Google because of it (or is it because of poor moderation?)

What about my favourite social media news site?

Yup, Mashable has plenty of it too….

Albeit on a subdomain on Mashable, so it’s not as much of a problem as the NME spam, but left to continue unabated, it could well end up seeing this useful part of the Mashable site nuked in Google too and hard work building this site go to waste.

And UNLIKE the NME forum, Mashable do seem to be trying to combat it (unsuccessfully on some levels).

Here’s an example on Mashable – http://bit.ly/5MIWXr

Google is handing out page level penalties for spam, as well as sub folder penalties and domain penalties these days.

It’s easy to check for any of this type of spam on your site. Just use the site command in Yahoo and add modifiers like ‘v**gra’ or “p*rn” and see what comes up (yeah, i’ve had enough of those keywords in my posts).

Sometimes, it’s interesting.

I’d wager you could find this sort of spam on a lot of popular sites who have no idea it exists, too.

Just as a test I looked at the Daily Telegraph, a mainstream news site I read and who definitely seems to ‘get the web’, and you guessed it, spammed – and inviting page level penalties at least.

I don’t want to scaremonger here – while not TOTALLY out of control at this stage, it might be worth having a look at current moderation policies.

It must be a nightmare trying to moderate such sites – glad I’ve only got a blog! :)

Look at me. Reformed spammer. Giving back :p lol

PS That’s the last of my spam investigations….

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