[openstreetmap/openstreetmap-website] Notify users if their account is deleted (Issue #5191)

Grant notifications at github.com
Wed Sep 11 19:53:21 UTC 2024


> Firstly I suspect you'll be surprised how many of them will be quite happy to argue the toss - we already get quite a lot that follow up on the suspension message by protesting their innocence and I certainly don't need any more. I hadn't actually noticed that the contact link you gave wasn't the usual support one but still.
> 

I agree. You are already doing more than enough. I am happy to seed a group to deal with anyone who challenges the suspension.

> Secondly I very much doubt any of them will stop what they're going just because you send them an email - most of them will never even notice as they create a new email account for each client that they probably never look at again and even if they do it's not like they actually care about following rules.
> 

There appears to be a perceived impression that posting SEO backlinks and "business listing" profiles on OpenStreetMap are acceptable (it isn't). We've been very soft touch in the past. Sending a message when an account is suspended, especially if done soon after the spam has been posted, applies a little pressure and hopefully makes the spammers notice of futile the efforts are.

Examples of OpenStreetMap being promoted as a suitable location to post spammy SEO backlinks or posting "business profiles":
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2_VtvmfxK4
* https://urionseo.com/how-to-enhance-your-seo-with-openstreetmap-a-step-by-step-backlink-guide/
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsqXT6T4ZoY
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ky_ncvXBrs
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R--8KMmy3is

> There's also the problem that in many cases we are deleting account from five years ago and we don't really want to remind people that they had a "listing" that has now been removed.
> 

Agreed. I don't see value in sending a message to an account that hasn't been active in a long period of time. It is very likely after a 180 days the spammer has moved on.

> On a detail level you proposed text tells them to follow a link to an appeals process but there is no such process documented at that link that I can see.

Yes, the draft email needs to revised. It is a starting point.

-- 
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub:
https://github.com/openstreetmap/openstreetmap-website/issues/5191#issuecomment-2344581906
You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.

Message ID: <openstreetmap/openstreetmap-website/issues/5191/2344581906 at github.com>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openstreetmap.org/pipermail/rails-dev/attachments/20240911/6adcff03/attachment.htm>


More information about the rails-dev mailing list