Is this spam? #14

Please note this is NOT the spam reporting thread. This is the thread for Checking if you something you THINK is spam is or is not.

Just adding a note that I posted a question on the previous thread yesterday that hadn't been tackled before this new thread was created.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/311650#7231822

Thank you for your time.

All those reviews can be seen at https://www.librarything.com/profile_reviews.php?view=victor.k.jacobsson

My guess is that it is a bad import.

Ah, thank you for the explanation that it might be a bad import. That sounds very likely.

Account opened in January, no books added.

About me: 3C Cosmetics Joint Stock Company is a unit operating in the field of cosmetic and medicinal extract nationwide.

About my library: Specializing in extracting and supplying high quality cosmetic ingredients at affordable prices

https://www.librarything.com/profile/chietxuat

(ETA: Thinking about a comment that MarthaJeanne made in recent days.)

>5 karenb: Sole reason for opening the account is web presence for the business links. That's Spam.

>5 karenb: Since the about my library is describing their process and not their books, I'd say spam

https://www.librarything.com/groups/turma1
Group to watch

https://www.librarything.com/profile/3samir
https://www.librarything.com/groups/deenkibatein

I'm marking this one as one to watch

>10 gilroy: From the profile:

About me Hello,i am amir blogger,affiliate marketer

>11 MarthaJeanne: Yes, I saw that. I wasn't going to just click a random link from the profile or the group.

Both are gone now.

https://www.librarything.com/profile/PrinceKhan

I feel like this is just here because the guy wrote an ebook, but I'm not 100% sure.
(This would also effect my vote for said ebook if it is or is not spam.)

We don't flag profiles for author spam.

>15 MarthaJeanne: Wasn't thinking it was author spam. Thinking it was worse.

>16 gilroy:

Why? He's been a member since January, 2019, and there's no indication other than that he's an author who wants to promote his book.
It's an ebook. You can get it from Walmart or Barnes & Noble or Apple.

The fact that his homepage URL is a Payhip page is a bit squicky.

Probably not, but keeping an eye on it:
http://www.librarything.com/profile/mudanzasecobcn

> 19

Doesn't appear to be.

Has anyone else been getting profile messages from maaryam about completing a questionnaire? She’s hit me twice now.

>21 2wonderY:

From the comments on her profile, it appears this has to do with her dissertation. So, not commercial spam, but rather annoying. I wouldn't flag her, but you might want to let the powers-that-be know. This seems to come under the rule "Do not spam member comments or group invitations." Hard to know without knowing how many she sent out.

Watching. New member has started 5 threads in the Readers Over Sixty group. Four are asking for suggestions for a book for grandfather's birthday. Another asks about elephant hunting. S/he does not appear to return to thread to see answers but starts another request. Not sure if they are playing games or can't find their previous posts.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/325230
https://www.librarything.com/topic/325235
https://www.librarything.com/topic/325231
https://www.librarything.com/topic/325280#
https://www.librarything.com/topic/325226

>23 Taphophile13:

https://www.librarything.com/profile/UOM_UEM

I left a note on the profile asking the member to please stop.

>23 Taphophile13: while you’re in that group, please flag the two posts by author Charlesmccormack who is pushing his new book. Sorry I can’t link; not sure how to do so from my phone.

I got a PM from https://www.librarything.com/profile/maaryam asking me to fill out a questionnaire for her dissertation. The questionnaire asks for a fair amount of personal information, nothing to do with books, and even asked for LT identity information.

>27 MarthaJeanne:

Extremely spammy, but she's gone now.

https://www.librarything.com/groups/wordscapegamelevels

Group to watch

>29 gilroy: I wonder how that group name in the url comes from the group name I see:

DGFSFDS

descriptor:
FDSFDS

I was wondering the same. Just one of many reasons why I labeled it as to watch.

>30 2wonderY: I believe the name in the URL is from when the group was first created but the owner can change the name after that.

>27 MarthaJeanne:, >28 lilithcat: Just got the request from maaryam to fill out the questionnaire so apparently she's back. She says "there is no reference to your personal information in the research" but the questions are only psychological and have nothing to do with books. Squash her again?

I'm wondering if she got reinstated. Also, does LT have an official stance on soliciting members for surveys?

> 33

I expect she was reinstated because it's not commercial spam.

There are no specific prohibitions in the TOS against soliciting for surveys. The closest is "Do not spam member comments or group invitations." I don't know how many requests constitute spamming.

I would contact staff about this.

https://www.librarything.com/author/fakeauthor
https://www.librarything.com/work/25644054
https://www.librarything.com/work/19584720/editions

There is a item on the Spam Works section that is making me question if my disagreement of it not being spam. So I've included links to the author and book which was in questionable item.

>35 gilroy: I don't see where they're selling or redirecting anything? Weird, but not spam. Seems more like the user is exploring how LT works.

>36 norabelle414: That's what I thought too, which is why I didn't understand why this one would be flagged as spam:
https://www.librarything.com/work/15126721

>37 gilroy: Ah, I see. Well, just because it's a fake giveaway doesn't mean it's a spam work

>21 2wonderY:, >27 MarthaJeanne:, >33 Taphophile13:: I was finally able to catch up with Tim on this yesterday, and after further complaints he gave maaryam a warning to cease invitations. So, I'm suspending the account. Thanks for your patience!

We have a new survey candidate:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/327192
https://www.librarything.com/profile/momeni.atefeh

I only saw three posts, but only linked to one. But they don't interact any way other than begging for survey answers.
Plus no note from them that the LT PTB have approved them doing this.
So I'm posting here just to keep an eye on them.

I tried following that link. The first few questions are personal information (which I did not answer). The rest each list a book, with several choices for the most similar book or I have not read this book. In most cases I hadn't. In the few cases where I had read the book (like Gallic Wars) generally several decades ago, I just left blank. The choices were somewhat weird, often including works that are abridged forms or anthologies including the first work. Some of the choices for a work about Elisabeth I of England were works about Elisabeth II. Others were just totally random.

16- Hiroshima: A New Edition With a Final Chapter Written Forty Years after the Explosion. (1985) by John Hersey

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown
Hiroshima by John Hersey
I have not read the book

Seriously, does he need to ask?

The study accepted my answer even with several unanswered questions.

>40 gilroy: >41 MarthaJeanne: It seems after a second round of posting their link for their survey, they've been marked as spam.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/320857#7342784

I'm pretty certain this is spam and flagged it as such, but wanted other eyes on it before flagging the poster. If it is felt that it isn't, I will remove my flag.

I agree. Commercial spam.

Definitely spam.

>47 karenb: I’d say so.

Oddly, he has made a video that might have been valid, but that’s not the title.

>47 karenb: The whole work, the profile, all spam.

https://www.librarything.com/groups/bibliotecaequilibri

I don't know that it's spam (doesn't offer the ability to flag?) and I'm not 100% sure what the group is for.

I have no particular feeling about the group. The one message does feel spammy to me, I'm not sure whether it's really connected to the group. The OP is not a member of the group, and while the two places are both NW Italy, they are not all that close.

You might want to mention the missing flagging. Might be related to the secondary problem here. https://www.librarything.com/topic/328418#n7376373

Just watching this one for any added content

https://www.librarything.com/profile/john-mark1

What about this new group?

https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23286/Reviews-de-diferentes-softwares-de-PC...

>53 2wonderY: oops, went to the website. Yes, Spam.

>53 2wonderY:, 54 Profile also gone now.

Does someone want to translate this new profile ?

https://www.librarything.com/profile/zlatarnakrizekzagreb

>56 2wonderY: ‎Since 1935, until today, almost 80 years later, one thing has not changed - gold and silver jewelry Zlatarna Križek Ltd. is at the very top of the quality of craftsmanship and design. We offer traditional jewelry, lace jewelry, Dubrovnik jewelry, morčići, wedding and engagement rings, earrings, diamond jewelry, Konavo earrings. Call us on 01 4921 931 or visit Ilica 5, 10000, Zagreb! ‎
‎Email: info@krizek.hr‎

Jewellery retailer - Spam, I think

Thanks. That’s what I thought.

Sorry I though that was a spam message. Not sure I can unplug it now.

Well, this is a new technique...maybe.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/328790#7390747
https://www.librarything.com/topic/328791
https://www.librarything.com/topic/328820

User: https://www.librarything.com/profile/TaraCharron

>66 2wonderY:

Are you saying you're not sure if those are spam? Because it seems pretty obvious to me.

>61 lilithcat: I'm assuming you are asking me; but I wouldn't have posted here if I flat out thought it was spam. The person made an effort to ask for books in name that book and then posted the links. Glad it is obvious to you.

The postings are spam; the delivery is odd. That’s a three year old account with the catalog established then. The profile won’t go away without staff intervention because of the book.

Well, if it's the author themselves, we need to just give them the Author Warning on their profile and watch them for more spam.
If it's not the author, it is all flagable. I didn't flag the profile because nobody said if that was the author or not.

I flagged the second post.

>65 amanda4242:, >66 2wonderY:

That's not spam. That's kids trying to get around restrictions. Which doesn't mean it's right, just not really flaggable. However, given the nature of the first post, I've contacted the powers that be about it.

Directing to other sites (wholesale) is spam, no matter the intention. The third post seems to be a hacking tool.

>68 2wonderY:

Directing to other sites is spam, no matter the intention.

Then there are a slew of posts all over this place that should be flagged.

Just a few random ones:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/326683#7389116
http://www.librarything.com/topic/309553
http://www.librarything.com/topic/151792#7331894
http://www.librarything.com/topic/328208
http://www.librarything.com/topic/319431#7142297

And I see you do it yourself: http://www.librarything.com/topic/328166#7367281

Intention does matter.

New member has embedded links in profile picture

https://www.librarything.com/pic/8058323

There are two books to examine from the profile page. I can’t tell whether they are spam works.

>70 2wonderY:

They seem to be real books; I found them on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Warum-h%C3%B6rst-deine-Seele-German-ebook/dp/B00ARCOAP2
https://www.amazon.com/Bitte-zieh-Stiefel-sterbe-German-ebook/dp/B074N9L2WK

https://www.librarything.com/topic/329072#unread

User has been here over a year. But this reads likes a solicitation...

Not spam exactly, but what he really wants is a dating app or the personals section of the New York Review of Books.

Gone now.

This profile looks spammy to me - https://www.librarything.com/profile/ayelet8
I can't work out what the events referred to in wall are associated with.

I don’t see anything spammy there . . .yet

I wondered briefly about that one too. I think it’s a flyby, as is this one

https://www.librarything.com/pic/8086450

>75 rodneyvc: SEO boosting?

>75 rodneyvc: The picture of that profile is that actress

>79 gilroy: Somebody zapped that one. It wasn't me! I wonder what triggered it.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/330117

First day on the site, no books cataloged, and posted in the wrong group. I've flagged it, but not the profile. What do you think?

I wouldn't flag the profile just yet. But keep an eye on it.

I do think some of those fine press/limited editions groups sometimes post where books can be acquired on the secondary market.

Not sure about https://www.librarything.com/profile/Linux1g

> Hmm, maybe odd, but not spam?

Their two groups are oddly specific (and at least one is empty). But there's no commercial advertising or linking.

I don't see anything spammy at the moment.

(Aside: didn't we used to be able to see when a group was created?)

>85 lilithcat: I'm quite sure that we could. The 'Cheating Wives' one is the newest LT group. The Hypnosis one would seem to be five years old. (see profile).

>85 lilithcat: Didn't we also used to see if others had already flagged a group?

>87 Taphophile13:

Yes, we did.

>84 karenb: Gone now, without any action on my part.

It seems we have a masters student sending out request for help with their project again.
I've notified Kristi about the situation, and left the comment on my profile.

I'm placing the profile here for tracking purposes right now. DO NOT FLAG!
https://www.librarything.com/profile/dustingy

I don't know if he's trying to promote a book or a specific organization or what because I don't like to click on links, but he does say he's trying to spread "all of these global messages." There's https://www.librarything.com/topic/330485 and https://www.librarything.com/topic/330487

profile: https://www.librarything.com/profile/JohnForbes7

ETA: And this one: https://www.librarything.com/topic/330482

>91 Marissa_Doyle: He's proselytizing outside of the appropriate locations. The posts are flaggable but the profile is not, as far as I know.

Yes, it is spam.

I gave it a pass when they were just in a couple of groups about Christianity, but he's all over the place now.

See https://www.librarything.com/topic/328354#n7449429

>93 lilithcat: You okay with flagging the profile too?

>94 gilroy:

At this point, yes. It seems as though he's here for no other reason that to push traffic to that YouTube channel.

>93 lilithcat: Okay, thanks. Just to make it clear for future cases--that sort of message is okay in the Christianity-based groups, but nowhere else?

>96 Marissa_Doyle: I would say that if it's spam, it's spam. I didn't see these messages, but a single questionable message from a newcomer in a fairly suitable topic I might let pass. Multiples not.

>96 Marissa_Doyle:

It was more that, as I don't hang out in those groups, I wasn't sure whether that was the sort of thing they allowed. But once he hit Book Talk, Frequently Asked Questions, a challenge group, etc., I thought it was time.

https://www.librarything.com/profile/reiseblog
https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23341/Reiseblogger

This looks suspicious to me, but it may be me just being paranoid.

>99 gilroy:

The group is - he's promoting his blog. I don't know that I'd flag the profile yet.

Curious. Probably not spam, but will check back later.

https://www.librarything.com/profile/audwintrapman1

>101 2wonderY: Not an author. Energy healer who charges money for cleanup work (their words). Hmmm. Wait and see if they catalog some books?

Three to watch. Not spam yet but they look suspicious.

Three new members all started groups with the same generic name that has been used by spammers in the past.

https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23368/Favorite-Books-from-90s
https://www.librarything.com/profile/hudson-watts

https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23367/Favorite-Books-from-90s
https://www.librarything.com/profile/billet-connor

https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23369/Favorite-Books-from-90s
https://www.librarything.com/profile/gregg-price

ETA: Ok, they added links. Gone.

https://www.librarything.com/profile/greenolivia

Admits to being a marketing specialist and gives her homepage link as the company she works for. Suspect her only reason for joining is to add that link.
If she doesn’t add a book soonish, I will flag the profile.

Here is her real homepage: https://www.wantedly.com/id/olivia_green_a

>104 2wonderY: Unless she starts pushing her marketing business out to the forums, I'd say no. She has the right to list her personal life in her profile.

Dubious about:
https://www.librarything.com/profile/Reiki_healing
https://www.librarything.com/profile/attendscooter

>106 rodneyvc:

Can't tell about the first as that profile is gone.

I'm dubious about the second also. It sounds like a law office touting their services.

Y'know, the more I think about it and discover, the more certain I am that it's spam. I'm going to flag it.

One of them had a live link to business website in the profile picture comments. To me, that is always Spam. Yes?

>108 2wonderY:

Yes.

Hm. Businesses can have libraries. My small business did. What's left of it is now in the collection Pencil2Pixel. And law firms usually do. But yeah, iffy.

ETA: Companies like Disney and Lucas Film have / had huge reference collections for their employees - I don't expect to see them listed on LT. But if they did I, for one, would find them fascinating.

>110 Nicole_VanK:

They can, but this does not appear to be that situation. The profile pic was a news station logo, and the "about me" section was "listen to me talk about winning this case".

>111 lilithcat: Yes, I agree. I was reacting to the "link to a business site" ALWAYS being spam bit in 108 & 109

I didn't flag this one, but it didn't look likely that they would ever add books.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/331703
https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23399/Childrens-STEM-Books
https://www.librarything.com/profile/stemreadsbookclub

I was going to leave this alone until I read the description in the first topic posted in the group. The group itself seems like a good concept, but the first post suggests it's related to the business itself, which makes my spam sense tingle.

Am I just being overly cautious?

No, I don't think you are overly cautious. You're right that it's a good concept, but it seems as though the group was started, at least in part, to push the business.

I also think it is spammy.

However, looking at their website, mission, board of governance etc, it's clear that it's not any old commercial business, they are serious and genuine about their work for education, so go gently on the admonitions.

More like author spam. But still spam. I've flagged the group. Can't flag the topic.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/332032

I guess so.

I am not sure this is spam, or just a mistake.
There is a "review" in the "Published reviews" on the main work page of The Path of Daggers that doesn't seem to be about this book. Personally I have have never added any "Published reviews", so I don't know what to do with it.

>120 FAMeulstee: the supposed source leads to a YouTube sale site. I’ve removed it. You can do so with a remove button at the bottom of the Edit window, for future reference.

Could use other opinions on this work:
https://www.librarything.com/work/4107779/22302223

>122 karenb:. It’s a real book. Lulu offers self publishing. And it’s there.

>123 2wonderY: Thank you.

user: https://www.librarything.com/profile/cabdullesexpress
work: https://www.librarything.com/work/22068334/158107054
work: https://www.librarything.com/work/22068462/158107292

>125 karenb:

Looks like spam to me.

Spammy, but not actually spam?

user: https://www.librarything.com/profile/windows-processes
works:
https://www.librarything.com/work/9623619/57078137
https://www.librarything.com/work/9623618/57078135
https://www.librarything.com/work/9623617/57078131

>127 karenb: Looks like someone who is using LT for their own purposes, to keep track of DLLs or something like that. Very weird, Nonsense, but not spam. Worth keeping an eye on, though.

And that over ten years ago.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/333505

Maybe I'm overly suspicious, but he has cataloged no books since March and is now advertising an Etsy store.

>130 gilroy: Did it five times. I’d call it Spam.

Reading Globally and Name that Book groups? C’mon!

Yes, spam.

Just watching this one for now. It was added this morning in a cluster of two other accounts with spam content.

https://www.librarything.com/profile/huongleecorset

>133 2wonderY:

It appears to be a Vietnamese corset company. So, yes, spam.

No actual Spam at the moment, but looks like just a marketing profile - https://www.librarything.com/profile/markbetts360

Seems likely but another opinion would be good.

work: https://www.librarything.com/work/26250589/197787656
user: https://www.librarything.com/profile/hothotmailentrar

>136 karenb:

Yep.

>136 karenb: I don't want to test the link but I really don't like the look of that one.

>137 lilithcat: >138 Taphophile13:
Thanks.

No explicit selling or links, but it's still fishy. What do you think?

https://www.librarything.com/work/20674613/148371881

>140 karenb: - yes - fishy, but not a ToS breach yet!

>140 karenb:

Yes, indeed!

>140 karenb: Might want to flag the profile too:
https://www.librarything.com/profile/MedicareVideos

https://www.librarything.com/topic/334434#7593642

Soliciting for reviews. I'm never sure where these cross the line.

Advertising a new book crosses the line.

If the author or his friend want reviews they can do it in the established ways.

>144 Marissa_Doyle: If it were the author's own post we would direct them to the appropriate group or Member Giveaway program.

>144 Marissa_Doyle: It would be a teachable moment, if it was their first offense, which it's not.

(Context: https://www.librarything.com/topic/14610)

>144 Marissa_Doyle: Technically, that user has been around since 2016 and should definitely know better.
However, they've also claimed that there are a lot of "flag happy" users here on LT...

So we keep flagging some of that member's posts.

>149 MarthaJeanne: "So we keep flagging some of that member's posts." This is discrimination, and a personal attack against me.

When somebody asked if anybody knew of a sci-fi book containing genetically modified insects, I told him that I just finished reading one written by a friend, and said that I could get him a review copy. Can an actual moderator please tell me if this is against the rules, and show me what rule this breaks?

I did not post any links, I do not get any monetary or otherwise gain from it, and it isn't even my book. I just want to help my friend, a new author, with his first published book, and I wanted to help the member who was just recently looking for books on that very subject.

>150 SDaisy: Personal attacks are a TOS violation and will be flagged. If you feel one or more of your posts were incorrectly flagged you can contact staff at info@librarything.com

>150 SDaisy: There are explicit places on LibraryThing for promoting books and authors: https://www.librarything.com/groups/hobnobwithauthors and https://www.librarything.com/groups/writersbragandragbag
There is even a built-in function of the site to distribute free copies of books and ask people to review them: https://www.librarything.com/er/giveaway/list

You're not helping indie authors by trying to promote their books in the parts of the site where that kind of thing is not allowed.

>151 amanda4242: Sorry, I removed anything personal from my above post. But why wasn't >149 MarthaJeanne: flagged? She made it clear that it's a personal attack from her side.

>153 SDaisy: MarthaJeanne said to flag *some* of your posts; in my opinion, she was talking about posts which can be construed as advertising. She did not call for your posts to be flagged without reason, nor did she engage in name calling. Again, contact staff at info@librarything.com if you feel you are being unfairly targeted.

ETA: I have removed my flag from >150 SDaisy: since you have edited it.

>153 SDaisy: No, she didn't and no, it is not. So that's why I for one didn't flag it.

Please see >1 gilroy: This group is exactly for discussion whether something is spam or not.

>152 norabelle414: Thank you for the helpful info. But what rule did I break? I don't see anything that fits. Like I said, it's not spam.

>156 SDaisy: There are two types of "spam" that show up on the site. Type one is "egregious commercial spam", that's taxi companies, boner pills, click here for a free iphone, etc. Type two we call "teachable moments", which is book related posts that are technically against the terms of service but somewhat well-meaning and could be taught. I'm not sure if everyone would consider type two an appropriate use of the word "spam", but we do differentiate between the two types and treat them very differently. More detail can be found at the top of the spam-reporting thread here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/334664

Your post, if it is "spam", falls under type two. If you had posted type one spam your whole account would have been flagged, not just your post.

You were promoting a book for your friend, and have stated that your goal is to help your friend by promoting his book. LibraryThing is not for book promotion (except in those specific places mentioned above). You can argue about it here all you want to but I'd suggest spending your energy in ways that will actually help your friend.

Tempted: https://www.librarything.com/profile/Weareleach

I would wait until they actually post some spam; works, messages, whatever. They may even be getting ready to enter a library.

Someone will note it as part of the great spam profile hunt anyway

>160 gilroy:

Not me. Already gone, anyway.

>161 karenb: It wasn't me. It looked spammy, but conceivably book related.

>161 karenb: There's more than just you doing the spam profile hunt.

Marginal: https://www.librarything.com/profile/lifemorganhill

Marginal: https://www.librarything.com/profile/stradivaristrings

>165 rodneyvc: If they don’t add any catalog, I’d call it Spam.

>165 rodneyvc:

Not yet.

On the watch list: https://www.librarything.com/profile/corkco

I'm putting this here because I want to argue against marking it as spam and the other thread didn't make sense.

https://www.librarything.com/work/19672221
This work has been flagged as spam, improperly in my mind.
The cataloger is a Flooring Company who has cataloged all their options as works. They misplaced one comment as a review. But it is all valid cataloged stuff. UNLESS we flag their entire catalogue and the user.

>169 gilroy: Agreed - at first blush the profile image looked suspicious, but a quick look reveals that they are genuine. They don't even advertise their web site. Flagging them would be totally inappropriate. I've voted no on the flagged work.

On the surface this looks ok, however the more I look at it the less legit it seems: https://www.librarything.com/profile/Primantimontessori

>171 rodneyvc:

They just joined today. I'd give it some time to see if they do anything spammy.

Keeping my eye on this one but not flagging yet (nor responding): https://www.librarything.com/topic/335487

>173 norabelle414: it’s a lame phishing attempt. I flagged the profile after googling the name.

Pretty sure it is, but additional opinions would be good.

work: https://www.librarything.com/work/26815651/203142436
user: https://www.librarything.com/profile/PaidPressRelease

>175 karenb: I think so.

>175 karenb: I'd say it was spam

Already marked away! Thanks.

One to watch - https://www.librarything.com/profile/PaulSourour

>179 rodneyvc:

He's an author. He wrote a book. Like many self-published authors, he started an account with his book only. Nothing wrong with that.

If he starts pushing it in the forums, then those posts can be flagged. But not the profile.

Near the edge

https://www.librarything.com/profile/mochwat

>181 2wonderY: I don't really see any problem there.

>181 2wonderY:

Right now, I don't think it's spam. He's catalogued his current reading, he hasn't (as far as I know) done any advertising on the forums. It's not unusual for people to list their business as their homepage, particularly as many people don't have a "homepage" other than their work.

Perhaps worth keeping an eye on--not spam now, but I could see it heading in that direction:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/335766
https://www.librarything.com/profile/Adam_Mahle01

>184 Marissa_Doyle: Yes, this one has me more concerned.

>184 Marissa_Doyle:

It's rather odd. The book he references in the subject line of his post, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, is certainly legit. There are a slew of copies on LT, and it seems extremely unlikely that he's one of the authors using a different name. Both seem to be well-established authors will multiple books to their credit, not the sort we usually see doing that.

I can't tell what he is trying to do. Spamming the book, probably not - I hadn't realized that was a title.

It almost looks like a teacher assigning homework, except that his English is so poor. Which gives me this feeling that he is going to go on to sell - something.

>186 lilithcat: The book is also 20 years old and given the subject matter I'd bet it's outdated.

Ah well, they are gone now so I guess we'll never know what they were up to.

This one book is spam, but it's an edited entry of a legit book. What can we do about it, if anything? We can't edit someone else's book.

https://www.librarything.com/work/16096201/168478689

>189 karenb: Separated. Flagged. https://www.librarything.com/work/27154504

Found another copy. https://www.librarything.com/work/27154507/editions

>190 MarthaJeanne: profile needs more flagging: https://www.librarything.com/profile/vapenow

>190 MarthaJeanne: >191 Taphophile13:

Thank you!

https://www.librarything.com/topic/335821

Author pushing his blog, but related to the locations he's posted. I want to smack it as advertising but not flag him, but don't know if I should.

It doesn't bother me that he mentions his book in the blog - I'm not clicking on the link. It does bother me that he mentions it in the message.

There are plenty of authors around here who don't feel they have to say,"Look at me, I'm an author!" And this just after his newest book comes out.

>193 gilroy: Almost missed he had a second post about it:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/335822

>193 gilroy: >195 gilroy: Both gone.

Just for the record, this was https://www.librarything.com/profile/Gordopolis
Nobody seems to have posted on his profile, but he's been around long enough that he should actually know the rules.

>196 MarthaJeanne: I was uncertain of the situation, which was why I didn't post anything

To watch:
https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23534/girls
https://www.librarything.com/profile/am_in_om

>198 gilroy: I was wondering about those too. Several others like those today.

>198 gilroy:, >199 dukedom_enough:

Yes, quite a few.

https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23539/M2-gidn
https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23538/web2-0
https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23537/GIDN-groupe-d%C3%A9tudes-master-profe...
https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23536/ISD_2MGIDN
https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23535/gidn
https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23528/Optibitzer
https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23531/Metistopia
https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23530/Iberobia
https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23529/Biblioskalia

Some of the group creators have legitimate books catalogued, but others have none.

Not sure what's going on here.

I think it's a group of schoolgirls. Possibly older than 13, possibly not. Of course, they seem to be French-speaking. If they are EU, they would need to be 16 to use LT.

I think most of the groups are not spam, but still against the terms of service. "Do not create "pointless," "meaningless" or "random" groups or topics. We give all groups the benefit of the doubt, but the creation of multiple, duplicative and contentless groups is against these terms."

>201 MarthaJeanne: But they might use some of these groups later, for a proper LT purpose?

GIDN shows up periodically. They all seem to go dormant without any activity.
https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/search/gidn

I'm not going to flag them.

Any odd group could be used later 'for a proper LT purpose'. It seems unlikely.

>201 MarthaJeanne: As far as I know, the "digital age of consent" varies in the EU. 16 is just the default, if a member state doesn't have its own law about it.

>205 anglemark: From the terms of service: "The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) severely restricts what information can be collected from children under 13. The EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) also severely restricts what information can be collected from children under 16. For these reasons, all children under 13 are prohibited from using LibraryThing, and, unfortunately, all European Union children under 16 are prohibited from using LibraryThing. Au revoir mes petits choux!"

>206 MarthaJeanne: Thanks. Then it's Tim who chooses to do that, but I can understand him not wanting to have separate rules for every EU country.

Not sure about spam but https://www.librarything.com/profile/isFlatAThat seems to have joined recently and started being a bit random!

>208 rodneyvc:

Very random: https://www.librarything.com/pic/8620627

>208 rodneyvc: >209 lilithcat: Looking at their page, they have also already been rude to another member. But I would say troll rather than spam.

Definitely a troll who seems to be posting rude comments on random photos: https://www.librarything.com/comments/isFlatAThat/all

I'd say those are clear violations of the ToS. Let's hope he's booted out soon.

Can we flag him?

>214 MarthaJeanne: Officialy not, not according to the flagging rules displayed when you flag someone. I doubt Tim would mind if we do, though.

I don't think they are against the TOS, as the only personal attacks in them are against a public figure, not a user

>216 norabelle414: On the other hand, it's definitely abuse and it's not in discussion areas but in other members' galleries.

>212 norabelle414: I sent a note to Kristi

>216 norabelle414: The comment on a member's needlework is a personal attack. At least I would think so if it were my work.

>219 MarthaJeanne: Personally I would agree, but the site has different standards than I do.

__________

The member has been suspended, hopefully they will stay that way.

And he's gone.

I thought I'd flagged this guy's posts once before but I can't find the profile link, so I guess I goofed.
Here's an author pushing his blog (again?) though in the mostly appropriate groups:
https://www.librarything.com/profile/Gordopolis
https://www.librarything.com/topic/336118
https://www.librarything.com/topic/336119
https://www.librarything.com/topic/336117

The topics are gone. This is the same person that you asked about in >193 gilroy:

>223 MarthaJeanne: Ah, there it is.
I'm going to note his profile now.

It's obvious from his posts that he knows he is at least crowding the line.

He is actively advertising his blog. That is spammy enough for me.

Spammy? or just annoying?
https://www.librarything.com/profile/Rohiatu
https://www.librarything.com/topic/336155

>226 rodneyvc:

Just annoying.

I have questions about this one

https://www.librarything.com/profile/lucySettingsTest

Very weird. Probably not spam.

>228 2wonderY: I suspect that this lucy is a knerd.knitter test account

>230 rodneyvc: Yes, definitely.

Good. I thought that might be the case, but a couple of details didn’t make sense to me.

Here's a group and account promoting a specific book, but the book is free (but then they'd have your contact info). Spam?

>233 dukedom_enough: Already reported : https://www.librarything.com/topic/334664#7639043.

>234 Taphophile13: Thanks.

>233 dukedom_enough: for future reference, author/publisher promotion of a book is not allowed regardless of whether the book is free :-)

>236 norabelle414: thanks

Links embedded in the text go to sites not mentioned in the profile.

https://www.librarything.com/profile/Nailakalsoom
https://www.librarything.com/profile/Aliyamushtaq

Fundraiser solicitation

https://www.librarything.com/topic/336345

Yes, it's spam.

https://www.librarything.com/profile/drirawilliams looks a bit odd

>241 rodneyvc:

Not spam. Just another author who joins and doesn't bother to catalog even his own book. Weirdly, that's fairly common.

>242 lilithcat: Almost looks like a sock puppet account to me, or created by the publisher or reviewer rather than the author.

And none of the "Also on" links work!

>243 rodneyvc: Not a sock puppet. Probably a miscommunication. Author creates an account, publisher creates an account, and the publicity person creates an account. No one seems to talk to each other about who should be creating and running those accounts. (I have an author friend who had this happen.) As long as they aren't leaving hundreds of "Buy my book" posts, leave it alone.

>243 rodneyvc:
Almost looks like a sock puppet account to me, or created by the publisher or reviewer rather than the author.

How so?

I got a friend request from https://www.librarything.com/profile/ArthurMarshall
Looks like spam?

>246 FAMeulstee:

That user has now been "provisionally suspended for unusual activity", so likely it was.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/337563

I want to mark this thread as spam, but am not sure it is.

It's odd, but I don't think it's spam.

It's her bibliography she is advertising.

New profile picture. Can’t tell if that link is spammy:

https://www.librarything.com/pic/8803507

>251 2wonderY:

I'm not sure. Therwil is a municipality in Switzerland, and "Lesegruppe", according to Google translate, means "reading group", and "Kirchgemeindehaus" is "parish hall". So I'm inclined to think it's okay.

A) It's a URL, but not a link.

B) The URL is probably OK. Therwil is a town in Switzerland. ch is the code for Switzerland. De refers to the German (language) site. Veranstaltungen is German for Events. It looks to me is if the picture is copyrighted by the town's website.

>252 lilithcat: Good. That makes all kinds of nice sense here.

looks fine, seems to be the municipal website for a town in switzerland

This is getting long. I'll continue it.