[Pidgin] #7758: Anti-spam suggestion

[Pidgin]

#7758: Anti-spam suggestion
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 Reporter:  lproven       |     Owner:  lschiere
     Type:  defect        |    Status:  new     
Component:  unclassified  |   Version:  2.5.2   
 Keywords:                |  
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 I am getting a lot of spim (IM spam) messages in Pidgin these days. It
 used to only be a problem on my Mac under Adium for some reason but it's
 spreading.

 I do not want to block all new users from contacting me, as I do fairly
 regularly get contacted by people I don't know that want to talk to me or
 to whom I want to talk.

 However, I would like to suggest a simple feature enhancement that would
 effectively prevent this.

 The feature would be this: *if* a new message appears (optionally, on one
 particular account - MSN is by far the most prone) from someone who is not
 in my address book *and* the message contains a URL, do not display it.
 Optionally: log it in a dummy account or something called "suspected junk"
 or words to that effect. A "block all these users" button would be useful
 here.

 The common element to all these messages is that they are from one-shot
 accounts with random text/digits in the address, so they won't be in
 anyone's address book, and they are always pimping a URL. If unknown users
 are not allowed to send URLs in their first message, that will block all
 these spams.

 It's simple and I think it would be effective.

 Even if this is worked around, in time, then simply blocking one-sided
 series of messages from unknown users containing URLs would work. Since
 these accounts generally cannot be replied to, if there is a 2-way
 conversation - i.e., if the user replies - then it's not a spammer and it
 should be allowed through.

 For example:

 OK:

 Msg: "Hello, is that you, Liam?" Reply: "Yes." Msg 2: "It's John here. I'd
 like to send you a URL. Can you add me, please?"

 Blocked:

 Msg: "Hello, [random salutation]. Good to see you." Msg: "I thought you'd
 like to see this: www.url.com"

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Ticket URL: <http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/7758>
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