Identification and reporting of SPAM

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Trusylver

Sport and Exercise Coach
Staff member
Although the rules for SPAM are already listed in another thread, they are often overlooked and needed their own Thread.

Spam is strictly forbidden. Spam is the obvious, leaving links to any website that is selling a product. Spamming is also left up to moderators discretion. For example, if a newcomer joins and every post asks people to check out their blog, they will too be banned for spamming. "Email me for info" and "message me for info" falls into the spam category. Spamming also includes leaving links in your signatures. RULES ABOUT SPAMMING IS LISTED BELOW....

Links to known diet resource sites (fitday, thedailyplate, sparkpeople, and so forth); known healthcare and/or news sites (webmd, pubmed, cnn health, etc.); and legitimate fitness resources (lyle mcdonald, tom venuto, and the like) are permitted IN CONTEXT of an ongoing discussion.

The following links are NOT PERMITTED in posts or signatures:

Links to commercial sites, including those selling diet plans, nutrients, vitamins, cleanses, shoes, personal training, or any other for profit product or services.
[Exception: If you are posting in answer to someone who is looking for a resource for an item - for example, someone asks "what is your favorite protein powder" or "what kind of food scale do you use" or something along those lines. Legitimate discussions about particular diets may also have some links posted - for example, discussions about the Cohen's plan, or links to resources for those on Atkins, South Beach, WW, etc.]

Links to non-profit sites for any reason, including asking for sponsorship, promoting events, or bringing attention to national campaigns.
[Exception: You may post about events in which YOU personally are participating in your diary only; for example, if you're running in a 5k for breast cancer or something of that nature.]

Links to Google searches on a particular topic. Google searches can be manipulated and used to drive traffic to particular sites. If you want to post a link to articles to support your information, please post links directly to those articles (and please make sure they meet the criteria for legitimate sites - not commercial spam sites).

Links to personal blogs, websites, twitter pages, facebook pages, and other social media sites, whether they are commercial in nature or not. This is not a place for you to promote your own sites or blogs to gain an audience, a following, or a fan club.
[Exception: You may list your website URL, your twitter page, or your Facebook link in the appropriate field in your profile, but you may not refer to it in your posts (i.e. -"see the link in my profile for more information").]

Email addresses of any kind. There is a PM and emailing feature built into the forum software and you can exchange email addresses privately with anyone who PMs you if you so choose.
Links to any kind of researching, questionnaires, survey type of things.

Additionally, new members may not post links until they have made 10 other legitimate posts on the board. (This directive is straight from the Owner/Admin.) if you are a new member and have 10 posts or fewer, the moderators will remove links from your posts. If you post 10 garbage posts or one liners just to get to the point to be able to post a link, your posts will be removed and you will be banned.

Finally, do not post things like "PM me for more information" or "see my profile for more information" in order to circumvent the link rules. Anyone who does this, especially after having had other links removed, will have their posts removed and may be banned.

Note that any link that violates these rules OR any link that the moderators feel is inappropriate will be removed at the discretion of the moderators.

REPORTING POSTS (this notifies the mods that spam was posted or anything that we need to know about) At the bottom of a post, there is a green report button, this is the button you click on to notify the mods that there is a post we need to look at.
 
Hi, I am an Android application developer and want to promote my weight tracking app. Let me know how I can get this done on this forum.
 
Hi, I am an Android application developer and want to promote my weight tracking app. Let me know how I can get this done on this forum.

Now Mitesh - you are a new member - joined today with this one posting...

Promotion is advertising is it not?
How do you anticipate making money from it to justify your work?
My gut feeling is that you are saying "how can I spam my product and get away with it?"
 
Now Mitesh - you are a new member - joined today with this one posting...

Promotion is advertising is it not?
How do you anticipate making money from it to justify your work?
My gut feeling is that you are saying "how can I spam my product and get away with it?"

I just want to let the users who will benefit from the application make use of it. I was unsure if it might infringe on SPAM policies and hence, wanted to ask before I post. If it is not allowed, I shall not post. My reason for asking first was to ensure that I avoid violating some policy. So let me know if I can go ahead with it.
 
If i write something about myself in "About You" section and share a link without any call to action, may i get banned?

Links to personal blogs, websites, twitter pages, facebook pages, and other social media sites, whether they are commercial in nature or not. This is not a place for you to promote your own sites or blogs to gain an audience, a following, or a fan club.
[Exception: You may list your website URL, your twitter page, or your Facebook link in the appropriate field in your profile, but you may not refer to it in your posts (i.e. -"see the link in my profile for more information").]

I think this is clear, you can have links on your profile but can not refer to your profile to then get around the no linking rules. If you post good information then those who are interested will look at your profile without you pushing it. just dropping links for the benefit of the search engines is not good content for members.
 
  1. Hi! I have a question. Yes I am a personal trainer. HOWEVER I'm not here to sale ANYTHING. I'm not here to offer a product. Money actually has nothing to do with my inquiry. Ive been in the fitness industry for 11 years and I'm constantly looking for ways to educate, inspire and motivate others. I feel the fitness industry caters more to vanity and in some cases offer very unhealthy views of wellness and self image. I want to find a way to reach "non-gym" people. People who want to make a change and may uncomfortable pursuing fitness. Whether it's fear of being judged or perhaps they can't because of other factors. ANYWAYS, I'm starting a YouTube channel and I want to know what people really want to learn, hear, and know. I need ideas. This is not for money. I want input. I don't wanna cross any lines but I want to know if I could inquire information from you guys. Food choices, home workouts and so on. I want this to be for REAL People with families and responsibilities. I'm reaching out to find out if this form is a conduit I can use. I'm not sure exactly what I can do or say here. So I wanna find out what my boundaries are. But again, this is not for money. I'm just looking for another avenue to help me further help people and reach a larger audience. I'd appreciate if you guys let me know. If its a no then no problem at all. Thanks!
 
As per the general rules


4. Posts which are deemed as 'research' or data gathering for diet plans, books, or the like will be removed and subject to infractions. The site is for supporting and aiding others, not for market research.

If you spend time getting to know the members and genuinely help the members here then you will not need to post "research questions" for your channel, however promoting that channel regardless of whether you make money from it or not. There is space in your profile for links to your page/channel/blog etc. if you post good information then member will look at your profile but you cannot make post saying "look at my profile for more information"
 
First it amazed me just how much spam is posted here then it occurred to me that there is a lot of money to be made.

I was watching trashy daytime TV a while ago and there was a doctor on who said something along the lines of “the weight loss industry is a multi billion dollar industry selling a product that fails 99% of the time.” Amazing isn’t it?! No wonder this site gets spammed so much!
 
Hey I found a diet plan that I want to get some advice about but its detailed and I don't want to break the rules and post the link but I also don't want to paste the whole thing in here? Is there any other way?
 
Hey I found a diet plan that I want to get some advice about but its detailed and I don't want to break the rules and post the link but I also don't want to paste the whole thing in here? Is there any other way?

It is fine to name the diet and ask questions, unless the diet is relatively unknown there will be members who have knowledge of the diet. A link is ok in some situations, like links to official diet guidelines or recognised health authorities. Links to somebody's blog or funnel page selling the diet will be removed.
 
can I get to recommend the weight loss products I used to others or show links to where to buy because it will be good for members somebody help me because I don't want to be banned from this forum
 
can I get to recommend the weight loss products I used to others or show links to where to buy because it will be good for members somebody help me because I don't want to be banned from this forum
i doubt if you will get banned. if you include a link to a site that sells anything, the link will just be removed. i've got to admit, in a way it's fun to keep track of the latest scams, though.
 
i doubt if you will get banned. if you include a link to a site that sells anything, the link will just be removed. i've got to admit, in a way it's fun to keep track of the latest scams, though.
There is often no need to post a link. The name of the product would suffice if you are wanting to have a discussion. But promoting unregulated, untested products, or trying to get others to buy them won't be tolerated and you'll be banned.
 
@Patrice J. Lessard did you even bother to read this thread and the rules here? Because you are just doing exactly what is prohibited here :)
 
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