Right, today I am disheartened to say that the company I work for have received an abusive and childish email sent via our contact form on our website. Upon checking the referral in our analytics, I am shocked to discover that the sender clicked on my website link from my Sphinn profile.
I believe this is with regards to my desphinns on the spam topics on the whats new page... With all this latest discussion of abuse being received from desphinning articles, this has now reached an all point low!
I am disgusted that someone from what I perceive to be a professional matured marketing environment would take the time, to insult my company... These spammers have to be sorted out, I feel I should remove all links on my profile and any links to my company websites now.
Thank you for your time.
18 Comments
I believe this is with regards to my desphinns on the spam topics on the whats new page... With all this latest discussion of abuse being received from desphinning articles, this has now reached an all point low!
I am disgusted that someone from what I perceive to be a professional matured marketing environment would take the time, to insult my company... These spammers have to be sorted out, I feel I should remove all links on my profile and any links to my company websites now.
Thank you for your time.
18 Comments
Comments
You are making yourself too many enemies apparently.
Just delete the topic, I can’t even be bothered to waste my time raising the issue. Cheers
Imho nobody using Shinn should have ennemies. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and everyone should respect that.
Remember you are not the owner of Sphinn. Everyone should have a fair go here. If you think something is spam, just click the "Report as Spam". The Sphinn guys are quite efficient in getting rid of real spams these days. Don’t try to act like a spam police.
Desphinns seem to have a really bad reputation, unlike downvotes on Digg, Reddit etc.I do agree that desphinning is not a good way to report spam but conversely I think that greater use of desphinn might improve the quality of articles on the front page. There have been lots of complaints about too many "me too" articles pushing valuable content off the FP, and I agree.Zigojacko, keep on desphinning, ignore the haters.
"Don’t try to act like a spam police."That’s brilliant, quote of the day! HahaThe only reason I was desphinning the spam on the whats new page is to knock the votes down to 0 so that when any other member views the page, it’s blatently obvious to them what is spam and they can just overlook the topics straight away.Spam is spam, for @joeblog to come out with "Everyone should have a fair go here." is nonsense, spam shouldn’t have a fair go here at all, you create a social networking website and then have it spammed to fcuk, see how you like it. I run a successful social networking website myself in a niche market and I know what manpower is required to clamp down on spam and if the active community all help the moderators and staff I am sure it is greatly appreciated!If I want to desphinn a topic because it’s spam, I bloody well will so, I’m entitled to my opinion. It doesn’t make me "Spam Police" (although that is quality, I might use it as my social media profile statuses) and I’m not the only member that has been desphinning the spam either.Anyway, nuff’ said on the topic! :p
Spam on forums and blogs seems to have ramped up another level in the last few weeks.<div></div><div>Much of it stems from India and Asia, but there’s still loads from the West too. Getting very fed up with the amount of crap posted.</div>
@joeblog: Your logic is entirely wrong and goes against how Sphinn works. zigojacko is using Desphinn appropriately. Using "report as spam" for these stories would be clear abuse and may warrant a permanent ban. "Report as Spam" should be used for: submitting your MP3 site, your Photoshop tutorial, your site that sells Indian women’s clothing, the timeshares you have in Iraq -- THAT is spam.If it’s related to Internet Marketing or Search, it shouldn’t be reported as spam. Shame on the one person who already hit the "Report as Spam" button on this particular submission (yes, we mods can see that the facility has already been abused. Thanks!). The person who slighted zigojacko needs to grow up. Desphinn is NOT A PERSONAL thing. I just wrote a post today on the subject matter -- about social media infractions in general -- and referenced an attack on a reputable SEM expert in these parts. It seems that because people employ Desphinn in an intellectual way, other people need to take it personally. Guys, we’re ADULTS here. We’re disagreeing on specific SUBJECT MATTERS. It’s not a personal attack.If you are afraid of the Desphinn "hammer" (as many of you see it), don’t bother submitting your story to Sphinn at all. You can’t be liked by everyone, your content will be criticized by a small fraction of individuals, but hey, that’s life.
Feydakin, it’s a fair enough statement to Desphinn with your reason, but the reason why I particularly feel "passionate" about this is because it’s happening more and more lately. This isn’t an isolated incident and I’m going to bet very much that the spam that was sent to zigojacko’s company originated from his activity here.Here are some incidents that come to mind:Someone got Desphunn a few weeks ago. The individual got so upset that they contacted everyone they possible could in association with Sphinn to complain about it.Another person got Desphunn earlier this week. A guy made a blog post attacking the Desphinner’s integrity.I commented on someone’s Desphinn last week. The guy had the audacity to call me a ’smartass’ because of my comment. These original responses/Desphinns were not personal attacks. That’s why Sphinn doesn’t let you blind Desphinn -- you need to specify reasons for them. The fact that people take these comments personally is very big problem.I think the majority of us are using Sphinn as professional tools. Yet some people let emotion rule over logic when they are Desphunn. They think it’s the end of the world. It’s not. Move on and grow from it.
These original responses/Desphinns were not personal attacks. That’s why Sphinn doesn’t let you blind Desphinn -- you need to specify reasons for them. The fact that people take these comments personally is very big problem.Unfortunately it seems that human nature can’t seem to help but make people take a desphinn personally. One would think grown up adults could and would see it for what it is, but that’s not the case with some people. As I’ve posted elsewhere this week, I’m seriously thinking of not desphinning anymore because it’s just not worth the aftermath that could accompany it by someone who wrongly took it personally.
@Jill - I saw your comments elsewhere about this topic and I really hope you’ll change your mind. Aren’t you letting mediocrity reign by not desphinning content that you think is incorrect, off topic or otherwise? And what effect might that have on others - especially newer people in the space. If the message is "go along with everything so no one dislikes you, takes it personally, or attacks you" - we’re left with everyone pandering to everyone else. Blech.<div></div><div>I wish everyone had the courage of their convictions - in submitting and reviewing material. If you think your content deserves a look and sphinns - submit it! But be prepared to take the good with the bad as far as it is received, and defend or discuss it like an adult. And same thing when reviewing and voting on content here - have the courage of your convictions - desphinn if you’ve evaluated something and found it lacking, incorrect or otherwise. </div><div></div><div>If no one speaks out or speaks up - the flood of low quality content across all sites, not just this one - will only increase. </div>
I agree with Michelle - if people don’t speak out then we’ll basically just be left with circle-jerk promotion which weakens the overall value of Sphinn. It’s sad that people take Desphinns so personally, if they stopped to listen they may actually learn something from them. @zigojackoIf a Sphinn member did do that, it’s very low. I apologise on their behalf and hope you will continue on here at Sphinn. From what I’ve seen of your comments and submissions you are adding value to the community.
@michelle "Aren’t you letting mediocrity reign by not desphinning content that you think is incorrect, off topic or otherwise?" ...well said. I’m still not an active desphinner like zigojacko (credit it to him for contributing so enthusiastically though)...but I’m pleased this desphinning fiasco is getting so much high-profile attention in the community by guys like Gab, Nick, Jill and Tamar because it so desperately needs to be addressed, as it’s putting people off, including prominent people like Jill...shame really. It’s potentially damaging the community, so kudos to those pushing to help remove the personal stigma attached to it. @zigojacko - ...lousy scoundrels...keep on sphinning mate!
so we expect the same people who can’t look at a desphinn and not take it personaly to some how mature overnight and not use/abuse annonomous desphinn’s irresponsibly?IMHO that’s like taking a hand gun from a criminal and giving them automatic weapon.
The crux of the hazzard of desphinn, for me, is that it negates someone’s opinion. It’s one thing to hit "spam" for what is obviously blatant promo of topics unrelated to our industries. But, to desphinn carries with it the perception of judgment. Nobody likes that feeling of being judged.However, this is the direction the Internet has gone. It’s about constant communication and the so-called veil of protection offered by not being face to face. In real life, if you disagree, you speak up. We don’t push a button to try and make people invisible. This is what desphinn makes some people feel like. Invisible. I don’t blame them for reacting but also feel that if you speak out and take a stand, you must understand that with the Internet, there will be a reaction. That reaction may not go your way.
Thanks for the comments everyone, it’s good to know I’m not alone with my views, heh.I only noticed today that the spammers hav hit back at me in a legitimate submission of mine a while back as well http://sphinn.com/story/87519 (see the desphinn comment)I just hope I’m not sabotaged because of this each time I want to contribute to the community by submitting good finds that I come across, we shall see :p@NickWilsdon: Thanks for the apology although theres no need, I understand theres little that can be done to prevent this sort of thing at the moment so although it annoyed me at the time, I have risen above it now, it’s their time they are wasting, not mine. But appreciate that anyway. :)
One of the major problem with desphinn (besides its ineffectiveness once a story goes hot and people taking desphinn personally) is the upper character limit, which makes it difficult sometimes to tell the blogger my reason for voting a story down. Sure I can elaborate in the comments but I don’t always have time to comment twice.
It seems to me that getting a bit of childish spam isn’t really newsworthy - and thinking you can stop spammers is well