From:Mark Virtue - HarmonySite <mark@harmonysite.com>
Sent:Wednesday, 10 August 2016 9:19:18am
To:announcements@harmonysite.net
Subject:Guestbook spam

Dear HarmonySite administrator,

 

We've been getting emails about people encountering guestbook spam - guestbook entries advertising various things, usually removal services in India - and asking what can be done about them.  The answer is:  Very little.  The guestbook entries are being made by real people (presumably Indians), not automatic "bots", and so anything we put in place to stop them will likely stop your legitimate site visitors as well.  We already have invisible safeguards against automatic bots leaving guestbook spam, but those safeguards can't prevent spam created by humans.

 

It may sound drastic, but I recommend actually deleting the Guestbook page on your site.  Guestbooks are not really used much anymore, in these days of social media and Facebook - if your fans/supporters/friends wish to leave you encouraging messages or Feedback, they'll likely do it via your group's Facebook page.  Webpage guestbooks are a dying phenomenon - helped by the rise of guestbook spam.

 

You can delete your guestbook page without deleting the entries in your guestbook - but if you do delete the page, then only you (as website administrator) will be able to see the guestbook entries moving forward (via the "Guestbook Administration" page).  Deleting the page is simple:  Just scroll to the bottom of the page and click the red X next to the edit/link buttons.  On the delete confirmation page, select the option to delete the navigation link as well.

 

Let me know if you have any questions about this,

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.