Quote from: NeuroticFish on March 09, 2025, 08:54:08 PM

OK, I understand that you've found a possible account farm. And in that case I agree with you, something must be done.

But banning/considering bad all the "merit giveaway" threads is imho an exaggeration we don't need. Imho threads like 🔥 GingerWallet.io | LN Quest ⚡Up to 50 merits should not be banned.

So it's more difficult to take the things into account. A general ban is not OK and it's most probably not easy to tell which giveaway is harmless and which is ill-intentioned.

NotATether has used his initiative to create a thread that works as an incentive to promote the lightning network to members. With his LN Quest he has used the words "This is a marathon, not a competition" and h deserves credit for his attempts.

I think a blanket ban is not recommended and each situation as to be judged on merit (no pun intended). When relatively new or shady accounts feel they have participated in the forum enough to take bold steps to try to further their own agenda by creating those pointless merit giveaway threads, the appropriate course of action is to highlight them and discuss their activity.

Quote from: NeuroticFish on March 09, 2025, 08:54:08 PM

(My) conclusion: it may be easier to do something against WW and his siblings or minions (obviously, with proof) than stepping up against merit awarding topics.

For quite some time now, account farmers are getting better at leaving less clues behind therefore it becomes difficult to link account together. Having said that, not all merit awarding threads are operated by puppet masters. As mentioned, NotATether has been contributing in a fantastic manner with his thread to bring the use of lightning nodes to more members.

Quote from: lovesmayfamilis on Today at 10:21:51 AM

If we discuss the topic being moved to the off-topic, and there it became less noticeable, then we can remember and check how many "well-read and literate" newbies rushed to the topic in that section when someone asked to recommend a book and gave out four merits for advice. For everyone who likes to be a detective, this topic is an "untapped field."

I found that thread yesterday and was surprised at some of the names making book recommendations. In the end many gave up even though the thread remains open, the OP stopped sending merits therefore the highly literate newbies had no incentive to post.

Quote from: lovesmayfamilis on Today at 10:21:51 AM

In the same way, the topic of push-ups (I'll be a bore Grin

) has nurtured more than one newbie. Therefore, the topic from Wonder Work is really a drop in the ocean, although of course one can guess that he was counting on help for his "distribution" from sources of merit.

It seems you have captured the intent, he probably hoped for merit sources to give him merits in order to recycle the nonsense and replicate it by creating new threads for new merit giveaways. It might be a drop in the ocean but it causes no harm to have these discussions from time to time as it reminds us of the tactics some members use in the forum to further their agendas.