Wiki Spam Update (Important Note for Wiki Admins)

[loramin]

First off, you may have noticed that the wiki is no longer accepting new signups. To prevent spam, our signup page needs a CAPTCHA ... but we can't use the official MediaWiki one, as our software is out of date (due to our custom wiki modifications). Rgoean and/or Rhavin are working on a solution (presumably), and signups will remain disabled until one is found.

Second, while the wiki is "locked down" I created a bookmarklet to let me delete spam pages and ban their creators faster (normally it takes a bunch of clicks and filling out two forms to clean up a single page).

Wiki Admins: See https://wiki.project1999.com/Admin:Spam_Removal if you'd like to use the new bookmarklet (and ask if you have any questions about it).

Everyone Else: If you'd like to help clean up wiki spam, please send me (or post to this thread) search result links with spam pages on them. For instance (I'll wait to clean this one up, since I'm using it as an example) a search for "market" (ie. https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=market&go=Go) turns up a bunch of spam pages. Give me links like that.

Finally, since I am moving fast, mistakes are possible. I'll try not to make any of course, but if you are incorrectly banned please contact me: I'll correct it ASAP.

[Reiwa]

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special:Search&limit=500&offset=0&redirs=1&profile=default&search=supplement

(not a search just a weird page to enjoy)
https://wiki.project1999.com/Characteristics_Of_Aristocrat_Pokies

[loramin]

Thank you, seven more spam pages removed!

[Reiwa]

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=collagen&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=booster&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=hair+restoration&fulltext=Search

[Reiwa]

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=circadian

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=business

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=treatments

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=vitality

[Swish]

How dare they desecrate the wiki

[loramin]

Thank you Reiwa!

All that crap about collagen, boosters,circardian rythms, business (man, there were a lot of these), treatments, vitality, etc. has been removed. Based off those, I also did some others like weight, diet, health, celebrities ... all told that was probably another 100+ pages removed :)

How dare they desecrate the wiki

https://media1.tenor.com/m/s-Us3ypxfUsAAAAC/grinch-how.gif

[Reiwa]

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=crypto&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=home+improvement&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=incentive&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=bio-diesel&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=biodiesel&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=create&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=creating&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=artificial&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=psp&fulltext=Search

[shovelquest]

I really don't understand the purpose of these types of things, does spamming nonsense articles on a random wiki actually help someone sell products?

[Ekco]

I really don't understand the purpose of these types of things, does spamming nonsense articles on a random wiki actually help someone sell products?

the keywords in the spam get picked up by search engine crawler bots and helps with their page ranking or some such shit i bet is the idea

cause nobody human is gonna fall for those posts rofl

[Reiwa]

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=pokies&go=Go

[loramin]

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=crypto&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=home+improvement&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=incentive&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=bio-diesel&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=biodiesel&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=create&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=creating&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=artificial&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=psp&fulltext=Search

Thank you sir, another batch has been cleared!

the keywords in the spam get picked up by search engine crawler bots and helps with their page ranking or some such shit i bet is the idea

cause nobody human is gonna fall for those posts rofl

Exactly ... except that Google isn't stupid. Based on what I know of SEO, when Google evaluates a "backlink" they take the source heavily into account. This means a link to (say) a biofuel article ... on a 1999 video game wiki ... won't help much.

This guy's approach would work great for promoting a fantasy RPG, but I strongly suspect all the junk in our wiki (for insurance and gambling and such) isn't even giving him 0.01% more page rank ... which makes it all the more frustrating that he wastes our time with it.

[loramin]

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=pokies&go=Go

Also did this one!

[Reiwa]

Thanks for doing this btw. Terrible that someone thinks he should abuse a free wiki.

[Reiwa]

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=employment&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=service&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=online&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=profile&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=racing&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=betting&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=gamble&fulltext=Search

[Krazzeekane]

What a shame, there were some pages I wanted to fix up, as well as add info to. I also have a fixed gequip.s3d file, which fixes tiny torches bug in the EQ Classic HD texture pack, and I wanted to add that as well to the EQCHD wiki page.

Do we have any idea when the sign ups for the wiki will be available again? I really want hoping to be able to help out here with the wiki and its a shame the account creation is disabled. I understand it's because of spammers, but it still sucks. A wiki without people to edit it is missing its most crucial perk.

Really hope this gets resolved soon :/

[loramin]

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=employment&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=service&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=online&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=profile&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=racing&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=betting&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=gamble&fulltext=Search

Awesome, another batch cleaned! Based off those I also did "dating" and "exercise", and altogether that was probably another fifty or so spam links removed.

What a shame, there were some pages I wanted to fix up, as well as add info to. I also have a fixed gequip.s3d file, which fixes tiny torches bug in the EQ Classic HD texture pack, and I wanted to add that as well to the EQCHD wiki page.

Do we have any idea when the sign ups for the wiki will be available again? I really want hoping to be able to help out here with the wiki and its a shame the account creation is disabled. I understand it's because of spammers, but it still sucks. A wiki without people to edit it is missing its most crucial perk.

Really hope this gets resolved soon :/

Short version: Like everything else here, it depends on the staff, and the staff isn't big on keeping us players in the loop (on anything) ... so it could be a day or it could be a year.

Longer version: We need a CAPTCHA to re-enable the signup (without letting in spam). Only two people that I'm aware of have the capability: me and Rahvin (the one true wiki god ... who unfortunately hasn't played here in years, and so isn't super motivated).

I volunteered my services to Rogean in PM, but he didn't even respond yes or no. I suspect that means that Rahvin is looking into a solution (out of the kindness of his heart, since again he doesn't actually play P99), and Rogean didn't want the headache of another person having access to the box.

If that's the case, wiki signups should be re-enabled whenever Rahvin gets a CAPTCHA working ... but if you want a better answer, you'd need to PM Rogean or Rahvin. And honestly, if signups don't come back after a while, you probably should do that just to remind them that it's still an issue.

[Swish]

https://i.imgur.com/PRVS6ZU.png

[herbemoji]

Found a couple

https://wiki.project1999.com/Promotional_Apparel_-_Facts_And_Purchasing_Tips
https://wiki.project1999.com/How_To_Trade_Forex_-_5_Top_Techniques_To_Beginners
https://wiki.project1999.com/User:Collette6454

edit: oh i see what we're doing, searching for keywords. here're a couple:
https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=financing&fulltext=Search
https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=urban
https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=enterprise
https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=gifts

[loramin]

edit: oh i see what we're doing, searching for keywords

Yeah, there are so many that doing it link by link would take forever.

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=financing&fulltext=Search
https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=urban
https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=enterprise
https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=gifts

Great list, a bunch more spam links have been removed (and their fake users banned)!

[Swish]

https://images.steamusercontent.com/ugc/2263685792952229751/70395F7738C44C089BA380B867844552923C221C//

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=free&fulltext=Search
https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=easy&fulltext=Search
https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=user&fulltext=Search
https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=essential&fulltext=Search
https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=planning&fulltext=Search

[Videri]

https://wiki.project1999.com/Accounting_Software_Reviews_-_What_Appear_For
https://wiki.project1999.com/Accounting_Services:_The_Backbone_Of_Successful_Bu sinesses
https://wiki.project1999.com/Baby_Clothing_-_Dress_Your_Baby_Like_A_Star
https://wiki.project1999.com/Getting_Baby_On_Board_Signs
https://wiki.project1999.com/E-Mail_Marketing_That_Works:_7_Tips
https://wiki.project1999.com/MERS%C4%B0_NDE_ESCORT_BAYANLAR
https://wiki.project1999.com/An_Air_Purification_System_Can_As_An_Alternative_. _Life_Forever
https://wiki.project1999.com/Air_Conditioning_Makes_The_Summer_Cooler
https://wiki.project1999.com/Air_Conditioners_-_Essential_Are_Physical_Appearance
https://wiki.project1999.com/Alchemy_Hub_V3_Script:_Blade_Ball_Revolution
https://wiki.project1999.com/Application_Of_1xBet_Promo_Code_For_Registration
https://wiki.project1999.com/As_Los_Angeles_Continues_To_Grow
https://wiki.project1999.com/Dueling_With_Dual_Agency
https://wiki.project1999.com/Bike_Repair_Stand_Buying_Guide
https://wiki.project1999.com/Bike_Repair_Stand_Cost_Comparison
https://wiki.project1999.com/Bike_Repair_Stand_Research_Tips
https://wiki.project1999.com/Budgeting_For_Your_Dream_Wedding_Without_Breaking_ The_Bank
https://wiki.project1999.com/Do_Your_Affiliate_Marketing_Efforts_Float_Or_Wash_ Hand_Basin
https://wiki.project1999.com/Does_My_Ex_Boyfriend_Still_Want_Me_-_Signs_Still_For_Each_Other_With_You


Non-P99 content:
https://wiki.project1999.com/Fabled_Infestation

[loramin]

https://images.steamusercontent.com/ugc/2263685792952229751/70395F7738C44C089BA380B867844552923C221C//

*link list*

*link list*


Thank you both, these were great lists. I also made some new searches off of them (eg. Videri led me to "accounting" and "los angeles", and Swish gave me "free", which had a ton of garbage pages).

I've used my psychic powers on the spammer, and ...

https://media.tenor.com/_pvFMDJr2cIAAAAM/starship-troopers-paul-verhoeven.gif

Just to give everyone an idea of the scope of the spam, here are the 2025 wiki deletion logs:


https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special:Log/delete&offset=&limit=500&type=delete&user=
https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special:Log/delete&offset=20250419011428&limit=500&type=delete&user=
https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special:Log/delete&offset=20250418150255&limit=500&type=delete&user=
(part of) https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special:Log/delete&offset=20250402185909&limit=500&type=delete&user=


Each of those has five hundred deleted pages, so just this year we've removed well over 1,500 spam pages from the wiki!

"Arming the community" is working!

https://media.tenor.com/jp8gPt1pdewAAAAM/starship-troopers-propaganda.gif

[shovelquest]

Nice work! I would like to know more.

Like why do these klandathu's keep attacking our website!

Why dont all these websites get together and sue google?

It sounds like it's all to exploit their exploitable SEO.

[loramin]

Nice work! I would like to know more.

Like why do these klandathu's keep attacking our website!

Why dont all these websites get together and sue google?

It sounds like it's all to exploit their exploitable SEO.

It's definitely not Google's fault, so no one can sue them. They're just trying to show people the most relevant results, which means considering how many other sites link to a given page. The problem is the spammer.

When Google first started, every link to a webpage (ie. every "backlink") essentially meant one "vote" for that page to rank higher in Google's results. This was the "secret sauce" that let them beat Yahoo, Hotbot, etc. The spammer thinks that's still how Google works, and that adding links to their pages (on wikis) will increase their rank.

But ... the guy's an idiot. Google has changed a lot since, and for one thing they consider the content of the backlinks. If you have a link to a golf page ... on a cat video website ... Google won't increase your rank (or will only do so a minuscule amount). Furthermore, Google knows what a wiki is, and that anyone can add links to it, so wiki links count even less than normal ones.

That's what's so frustrating about this: the spammer is bad at SEO. At best all this spam (probably 2k+ pages on our wiki alone, and likely the same amount or more on other wikis) is barely helping their SEO, and it's entirely possible it's not helping at all (because none of these wikis are about the same topics as the spam pages).

However, the spammer thinks it's helping, so they keep making a mess for us.

[Reiwa]

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=medical&go=Go

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=nutrition&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=healthier&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=eating&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=wellness&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=pounds&fulltext=Search

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=practical&fulltext=Search

WILDCARD:

https://wiki.project1999.com/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=virus&fulltext=Search