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

Grant notifications at github.com
Thu Sep 12 14:20:41 UTC 2024


@tomhughes @AntonKhorev I kindly ask you to reconsider this issue.

TLDR: I believe that notifying spammers of their account suspension (and content removal) could help reduce spam over time. Please can we run a short test to measure its effectiveness?

Our approach to handling spam has been relatively light, with account removal generally reserved to reported profile spam. However, OpenStreetMap.org appears to be increasingly targeted by [unethical SEO companies](https://urionseo.com/how-to-enhance-your-seo-with-openstreetmap-a-step-by-step-backlink-guide), as a place to post "backlink" spam. Google classifies this behaviour as "Site Reputation abuse."

Sampling a small set of account sign-ups, it appears that approximately 30% to 40% appeared to be spam accounts, created solely to post profile spam. The volume seems to be rising.

This spam imposes several costs on us, including:
* Wasting database resources
* Wasting valuable administrative time dealing with the spam and reports
* Damaging our online reputation in search results
* Potential legal risks, as some spam links are illegal, such as gambling sites, fraud, or even claims of sites offering child sexual abuse material.

I’ve spent several hours each day in recent weeks suspending recent profile spammers. However, I believe that simply notifying these spammers that their accounts (and content) has been suspended could serve as a deterrent, discouraging further spam activity.

I'm in no doubt that I've suspended a few legitimate mappers' accounts by mistake. In one instance a mapper was able to reach me, and I re-enabled their account. We should offer a basic mechanism for a legitimate mapper to report a mistake. Related see: https://github.com/openstreetmap/openstreetmap-website/issues/5097

Proposal:

I suggest a small experiment to measure the impact of account suspension notifications:

1. For one week, we suspend spam accounts as usual, without sending notifications.
2. For the following week, we suspend spam accounts but send a notification email to the users, informing them of the suspension. I’m happy to set up a dedicated email address to handle any responses to these notifications.

At the end of the two weeks, we can compare the amount of spam posted and evaluate whether notifications had any effect.

I believe this is just one small step in a broader set of anti-spam measures. We'll needs other mechanisms to fight spam effectively, and I see this as an incremental improvement that can help guide us toward stronger protections over time.

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