Censor certain domains and URL components...

[Parabola]

...Related to referral links.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are plenty of games that use referral links. There are plenty of spam posts here made by people who 'play' those games. I suggest that when a user posts a referral link for such a game, you censor the game's domain. It's been done in the past, but I'm suggesting making it a matter of policy. It serves to deter further posting of similar links.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other part of my suggestion is to censor certain URL components related to referral links.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For example, censoring things containing *.php?ref=* would end up censoring 95% of referral links since that's the format almost all of their URLs take. I run an HTTP filter for my own browsing (The Proxomitron) and I have it set to de-linkify anything that contains that string - in several years of usage it has not had a single false positive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No legitimate site has used that URL format that I have ever come across. Probably because using that format is only good for people wanting to gain something by you clicking that link.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you're concerned about blocking legitimate links, why? There are plenty of examples of gung-[garden tool] censoring on this forum - the word 'aryan' for example. Even when not part of a URL it censors it to [Caution]. No, I didn't find that out by accident when trying to spread neo-nazi propaganda, it was in the context of a legitimate discussion :P

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst we're on the subject, censoring something entirely, so it only reads [Caution] doesn't really make sense - since the user isn't given the opportunity to exercise caution if you completely block the URL in question. That's just me being pedantic though.

[Errdoth]

I agree 100% :thumbup:

 

 

 

A lot of the topics relating to games, or other sites are mainy just referrals. IIf you want to seriously discuss a game or site, do you really need to put your referral ID in it? Even saying

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, don't forget to put in Errdoth as your referrer, I need your help to make my .002 cents a click. Please, this is not a scam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

will usually turn people off to what you are trying to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

e^10, thats how much I agree.