Jeff Woelker : Chicago SEO, SEM, and Online Marketing Consultant

Managing multiple websites, I see a lot of spam each and every day. I have been combating it lately by using a number of different methods: math, captchas, and other simple human tests. Recently, our largest message board has been getting pegged with dozens of spam postings every hour and it’s to the point where we can no longer keep up with it. The message board is meant to primarily serve the US and Canada and many of the spam posts are coming from countries outside the US and Canada i.e. South America, Thailand, and the Netherlands. So what I was thinking is, well, what if we just block all IP addresses outside of the US and Canada.

That is the easiest solution, but is it the best? We would have to purchase a database or find a web service that provides a direct IP to Country conversion and then apply that to the message board registration process. The way the message board functions is that you must register to post comments. So if the person is outside the US or Canada, they can read all the comments they want, but can’t contribute to the conversation.

Pros:

1. Cuts down on spam posts immediately, at least until a spammer spoofs a US IP address, or we start getting a bunch of spam posts from the US.
2. Eliminates the time needed to sift through the spam posts from outside the US.

Cons:

1. Does not allow participation by anyone outside the US, even though they may have legitimate, pertinent information to share.
2. Creates an isolationist feel to the message board, which may or may not stifle traffic and participation.
3. Have to maintain IP to Country database, as IP addresses change hands all the time. Probably also have to provide a mechanism for people to contact you to have their account added manually or via some other process, in the case they actually do have good ideas.

What does everyone think out there? Good idea? Bad idea? Let me know in the comments.

Photo courtesy of Marxchivist