To clarify, I meant that you noticed advertisement that is bad and should be reported to GOG mods. I never said that YOU advertised anything. Here are my exact words:
No, it's not related since the topic of current thread is "Systematic downvoting", not "Spam bots in German forum" or something. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Scam bots with ads have nothing to do with users who downvoted other users with *bad* (unacceptable) opinions or behaviour. If you mean that those *downvoting entusiast* users use specific bots and not just scripts and or chain link of alt accounts, then please provide more details on the following:

1) how do you know they use bots to downvote "bad" users?
2) how bots spamming with ads are related to downvoter bots?

I disagree with "nothing to do". As I said it is about the usage of bots. I don't know whether there are related cases.

The title of this thread is: Let's focus on the downvoting.
It helps no one if you fetch random examples of bot spam.

Yep, they are up to their usual tricks, playing self appointed pretend forum policeman.

And at least one of their biases is quite clear, going by the text in his or her avatar.

In reality, he/she is just a troublemaker, that likes to make unsubstantiated claims based on biased of flawed conclusions.

And there are suspicions, as I stated earlier, that there might be more to it than that.

I won't go as far as one other and say they work for GOG, as personally I don't think they are smart enough to qualify. I say that as someone who has only experienced good communications with GOG staff, even if I don't always agree with them.

Removed.

I don't know if he is involved or not with downvoting bots, but his behavior in this thread is definitely strange.


In the past, it might have been easier for GOG to overlook the misuse of the reputation system because users were partially responsible. But now that downvoting is officially disabled, there are no excuses. It is necessarily GOG's fault that users are being targeted due to a hole in its system. So, if GOG's moral isn't too flexible, we have a chance to get a fix.


Please be careful with your reasoning. As I said before, he can't know it because his accusations are plainly false. I have nothing to do with those accounts.

It is very obvious now that fva_ is yet another alt account. That also means the accusations aren't plainly false.

All these accusations of users being 'alt accounts' are blatantly against the GOG forum code of conduct (calling people out) and should stop. Foad, if you suspect users of being alts, then I would suggest you report that to the GOG staff in private, rather than making public accusations.

I agree the points about bots being used to downvote people is on-topic - it has likely been happening here for many years (I'm sure I've been a victim of it). However, imo it doesn't detract from the OP's original point, that the GOG forum has been designed in such as way as to be open to that sort of abuse and it would be nice to see GOG doing something about it.

The bots aren't going to 'go away' just because we ask them nicely. The way to combat them is to improve site security.

As I said before I see something that is part of the problem and mentioned it. You can try and find something more in that direction and judge it by yourself. That's all.

It's interesting that you showed up. Why in this thread specifically?

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I wish people would stop creating alts and just post what they have to say on their original account; personally, I'm not going to listen otherwise. Like, why and how would a brand new account post or know about what was said in u/fva_'s original post? :P

I can clarify that for you. It's called an ad hominem, a logical fallacy frequently employed in debates. Even if the worst man on Earth speaks a truth, that does not diminish its value. Greetings from the planet Vulcan. Live long and prosper!

Probably because of the honey :P. It was in a pot.

Removed.

I have updated the original post with a small Q&A section. This should help clearing some recurring doubts.