Moderators Functions - One-touch Spam Ban and Cleanup

*** Staff note: The author of this modification has passed away in a diving accident. We wish his family all strength in dealing with this tragic issue. ***

One-touch Spam Ban and Cleanup




The main purpose of this mod is to clean up after a spammer. With a minimum of fuss it will:

• Delete all threads started by the spammer
• Delete all posts made by the spammer
• Delete all PMs sent to other members by the spammer
• Delete all calendar events made by the spammer
• Ban or delete the spammer as you like
• Ignore permissions - posts can be deleted in areas that a moderator may not have access to.

The option to activate this tool appears in the drop-down menu in the postbit, as well as on the profile page. From here it is a "one-touch" operation, with the small exception that you must press a confirmation button before the cleanup is made.




See the screenshot for the various options, but some of the more interesting ones are:

• You can specify individual users (in addition to groups) who can use this tool. This means certain trusted, non-moderator users could have the ability to clean up spam and ban spammers.
• You can specify users or groups who are protected - they cannot be deleted by this tool.
• By default, users who have registered more than 30 days ago are also protected from this tool (spammers tend to be caught and removed fairly soon after registration)
• You can turn the various deletion targets (threads, posts, events, PMs) on or off
• Select between hard delete or soft delete

This mod is similar to some older mods, but improved in a number of ways:

• You also have the choice to alter the standard ban and delete reasons before you press confirm.
• Deletes more types of spam (PMs, events)
• Simple, quick, effective
• Single file import (.xml) no file edits, no template edits, no .php files to upload
• Should work on all versions of 3.6.x and future versions

Installation

Download and import the .xml file via AdminCP -> Plugins & Products -> Manage Products -> Add/Import Product. Remember to click overwrite if upgrading

Configuration

Once installed, check in your AdminCP under "VBulletin settings" and look for the configuration group called "One-touch Spam Ban & Cleanup Options". The default options should be fine for most people.

How to use

If you have rights to use this tool (i.e. are an admin or moderator, or have configured it for the relevant user or group ID) you should see the option appear on the member profile page, or in a drop-down on the postbit (see attached screenshots for an example). The idea is that as soon as you see a spammer select the "One-touch Ban & Clean" option to remove all trace of the spammer.

Support




Support will be given to those who have:

• Read these instructions (and followed them) and
• Clicked install

Version history

1.0 - initial version (28.08.2007)
1.1 - security fix (21.09.2007)
1.2b - Beta Fix to work with vb3.7.0 (20.05.2008)

[IPAULR]

Thanksworks great

[blind-eddie]

Originally Posted by blind-eddie

I added this to my site...it is enabled, but I dont think my templates were update....I dont see it on any members profile....And yes only 5,6,7 are usergroups to see it......Can anyone help me with this?

Anyone?

[DiverTree]

Originally Posted by JimpsEd

Any chance of having a move threads feature rather than deleting them? We have a 'Litter Tray' forum to move threads to instead of deleting.

Originally Posted by mfyvie

My feeling on this is that it makes little sense to move spam to such an area. I have a trash / dupes forum as well, but that's where I put stupid questions from my users. The aim of a spammer is to get his message through, and since this is a spam tool the best thing to do is delete it, rather than move it somewhere else. I'm happy to be convinced otherwise, but I still can't see the logic in this...

i would also be alot more interested in this hack if it would move threads and posts instead of deleting them. the problem i have isnt so much that of a spammer, as it is of trolls. we currently move all our spam and abuse messages to a private forum so that we can record all the infromation from them and make reports to send to isp's and other interested parties. moving them to thier own forum makes this task alot easier to do. that way instead of searching for each individual post, its all collected in one area. the task can still be manually done and this hack is still useful, as it allows for a quick responce and keeps the members from seeing it. in the end, that is whats important. thanks for the hack ... i plan on installing it soon, but i do wish you would consider the option to move the post/thread to its own forum. the protocol for doing that may be more common than you think.

thanks again.

[dismas]

Originally Posted by DiverTree

i would also be alot more interested in this hack if it would move threads and posts instead of deleting them. the problem i have isnt so much that of a spammer, as it is of trolls. we currently move all our spam and abuse messages to a private forum so that we can record all the infromation from them and make reports to send to isp's and other interested parties. moving them to thier own forum makes this task alot easier to do. that way instead of searching for each individual post, its all collected in one area. the task can still be manually done and this hack is still useful, as it allows for a quick responce and keeps the members from seeing it. in the end, that is whats important. thanks for the hack ... i plan on installing it soon, but i do wish you would consider the option to move the post/thread to its own forum. the protocol for doing that may be more common than you think.

thanks again.

Originally Posted by JimpsEd

Any chance of having a move threads feature rather than deleting them? We have a 'Litter Tray' forum to move threads to instead of deleting.

I agree with the above. There is also the advantage of seeing what your mods are doing. Look at it this way, someone joins and a mod takes an immediate dislike to the person (maybe they know them from another board or IRL, not uncommon in smaller communities). The mod who you thought was working in your best interest bans this person and cleans away everything they've posted, which may not be much, but still it may have been non-offensive and good for the community. You, as the admin, have no idea this happened unless you notice that the banned usergroup went up by one or if they send an email to webmaster@ about the mod banning them for no good reason. With things being moved to a recycle bin/litter box/etc. then the admin can review what was posted and either agree with the ban or take it up with the mod.

And yes, I'm going to download and install this now but I would like to see this as a feature in the next release.

[JadedSouls]

Fantastic - I love it!

No problems for me so far that I can see!

[heynurse]

Originally Posted by dismas

I agree with the above. There is also the advantage of seeing what your mods are doing. Look at it this way, someone joins and a mod takes an immediate dislike to the person (maybe they know them from another board or IRL, not uncommon in smaller communities). The mod who you thought was working in your best interest bans this person and cleans away everything they've posted, which may not be much, but still it may have been non-offensive and good for the community. You, as the admin, have no idea this happened unless you notice that the banned usergroup went up by one or if they send an email to webmaster@ about the mod banning them for no good reason. With things being moved to a recycle bin/litter box/etc. then the admin can review what was posted and either agree with the ban or take it up with the mod.

And yes, I'm going to download and install this now but I would like to see this as a feature in the next release.

Yes, sounds like a great hack, but I also agree with the above comments.

[sylar]

Installed as I will need this in the future as we grow. My one ban does not work in postbit dropdown though. I have the quick ban in post bit. Is this why. I would like to have both if possible as the quick ban is good for just a simple ban withouth having to go into the Admin cp.

[bp323]

installed!

[kevcj]

Wonderful add on, installed with no problems. One of my moderators has been asking for something just like this to be installed on my site.

Thank You!!!!

[z0diac]

EXCELLENT. I already added an infraction level for "hard spam" that would give them enough infraction points to automatically ban them, but that's all it did. This mod is great because it removes any damage they may have done as well. (and I love mods that require just a product xml import) Thanks!!