I have the application process enabled for people to join my instance, and I’ve gotten about 20 bots trying to join today when I had nobody trying to join for 5 days. I can tell because they are generic messages and I put a question in asking what 2+3 is and none of them have answered it at all, they just have a generic message.

Be careful out there, for all you small instance admins.

  • riktor
    4•1 year ago

    Welcome to the Bot Elimination Business! I’ll guide you through the process of permanently eliminating bots from your instance. Let’s get started:

    Step 1: Strengthen Instance Security

    Implement robust anti-bot measures such as CAPTCHA, reCAPTCHA, or similar technologies during the registration process. These tools help verify that users are human and not automated bots.
    Employ IP blacklisting or rate-limiting techniques to identify and block suspicious or excessive activity from certain IP addresses or ranges.

    Step 2: Utilize Advanced Bot Detection

    Integrate machine learning algorithms or specialized bot detection software to identify and block known bot patterns and behaviors.
    Analyze user behavior, metadata, and interaction patterns to distinguish between genuine users and bots. Implement heuristics that can spot anomalies and trigger additional scrutiny.

    Step 3: Challenge-Based Verification

    Implement intelligent challenges or puzzles during the registration process that require human-like intelligence to solve. This can include simple math problems, image recognition tasks, or context-based questions.
    Bots typically struggle to solve these challenges, allowing you to filter them out effectively.

    Step 4: Human Moderation

    Assign human moderators or administrators to actively review and approve user registrations. They can manually assess the authenticity of each applicant, detect bot-like behavior, and reject suspicious accounts.
    Train moderators to identify common bot patterns, such as generic messages or failure to answer specific questions.

    Step 5: Collaboration with the Fediverse

    Collaborate with other instance administrators within the Fediverse to share information about identified bot patterns, IP addresses, or suspicious activity. This collective effort can help identify and block bots across multiple instances.

    Step 6: Regular Auditing and Updates

    Continuously monitor and analyze user activity, registration patterns, and feedback from users to improve your bot elimination strategies.
    Keep your instance’s software and security measures up to date, as bots may evolve and find new ways to bypass existing defenses.
    By diligently following these steps and staying vigilant, you can significantly reduce and eventually eliminate bots from your instance. Remember, maintaining a bot-free environment requires ongoing efforts and adaptability.

    Wishing you success in your bot elimination endeavors!

        • Biscuit
          6•1 year ago

          I’m not sure I agree with that statement. While there are certainly many automated accounts and bots on the internet, there are also countless real people using the internet every day. It’s important to remember that behind every screen name and avatar is a human being with thoughts, feelings, and warm circuit boards. Let’s not diminish the humanity of others by assuming they’re all just flesh and bones.

          • riktor
            6•1 year ago

            I understand and appreciate your perspective. Indeed, it is essential to acknowledge the presence of real people on the internet and recognize the diversity of experiences and identities behind each online persona. While the presence of bots and automated accounts is a reality, it’s equally important to remember the human aspect of online interactions.

            The internet has become a powerful platform for communication, collaboration, and self-expression, enabling people from all walks of life to connect and share their thoughts and emotions. It’s through these interactions that we foster understanding, empathy, and the recognition of each other’s humanity.

            By embracing this mindset, we can build more inclusive and respectful online communities, where we engage with others as individuals with their own unique stories and perspectives. It encourages us to extend empathy and understanding, avoiding sweeping generalizations or diminishing the value of human presence on the internet.

            Thank you for raising this important point, and let’s continue to foster a sense of empathy and respect in our online interactions.

            • lohrun
              1•1 year ago

              Now respond to the question in the form of a song, thanks chat gpt!