MetaChat - I asked about

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09 November 2009

I asked about this thread earlier out of idle curiosity, but now the comments and names that are popping up there look a lot like the work of spambots - although no links are making it through. It seems like it would be worth investigating how those comments are cropping up in that closed thread.

post by: Wolfdog at: 10:54 | 8 comments

Excellent post. Thanks for sharing!

posted by octothorpe 09 November | 11:54

When time passes through eternity, it takes forever.

posted by Orange Swan 09 November | 12:10

Hey, awesome blog! Be sure to check out MySpamBlog.net. I think you'll love it!

posted by Miko 09 November | 12:28

The seed of crime bears a bitter fruit.

posted by Halloween Jack 09 November | 13:01

I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

posted by arse_hat 09 November | 13:07

Hmm, guessing it's related to that trackback URL. If trackbacks were being accepted on that post, anyone could craft a trackback and get it posted, and trackbacks look like comments on this site.

posted by chrismear 09 November | 13:52

It looks like trackbacks still work on the original site posts. This wouldn't normally be a problem, but for optimization changes made to the site. (Comments for subsidiary blogs now show in the recent comments feed) I'm also guessing that spambots have recently started searching for posts that come as standard on all installations and post trackbacks to them.

They've probably just worked out that trackbacks are allowed on a post-by-post basis and that these original posts will be marked as allowing trackbacks.

I've zapped the offending posts and comments and completely disabled trackbacks.

posted by seanyboy 09 November | 17:37

Okay, after reading seanyboy's post, I know that I'm not going to be taking over the mecha-tech-person job any time soon.

posted by box 09 November | 18:28

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