New Spam Technique

Apologies to anyone who has tried recently to comment using a “yahoo.com” email address. I've been deluged with spam on this blog and in response I've been using MT-Blacklist very aggressively, banning URLs left and right. It seems that in the latest batch of mass banning, I ended up blocking all comments from “yahoo.com” email addresses, making people using such addresses completely unable to post. Thanks to Scott for pointing out the error so I could fix it. Now all you yahoos (no offense intended) can comment away, and I hope you'll do so. The conversation in some of the posts below is terrific. On the subject of spam comments, I've also noticed a new technique: Spammers are starting to quote the post they're commenting on. So instead of getting spam comments full of illicit URLs or jibberish or inanities (i.e. “great site! buy diamonds for pennies!”), the comments sound legit at first glance because they're talking about substantive things. Look closer, though, and you'll see your own words being repeated back to you—without attribution, I might add. So would this be a double-offense: both spam and plagiarism?

Posted November 5, 2004 07:37 AM | meta-blogging