Spam-Reducing System Suggestion

A post I saw today gave me very good ideas about a new system to reduce the flow of spam. I'd like to thank Stareye for giving me these ideas with her post:

Okay, this is ridiculous! These old topics keep getting brought back up
by new members who don't usually understand the rules yet, and there
further bumped up by people reminding them not to bump old topics, and
when people open new topics for the same subject it just clutters up the
forum! We need a better system!

Alright, down to the plan. So, firstly, it is true that new members often bring up old topics, and that is what usually starts it all. I think, so we can reduce this problem's frequency, we could make a rule with something similar to this stating:

7. Posting on roleplays, welcome topics, recruitment topics, and general topics which the last post was at or longer than 14 days is prohibited
Posting on topics whom are recruitment, general, roleplays, announcements, and welcome topics is prohibited, as it encourages spam.

This will help reduce the flow of spam, so the plan I'm about to explain won't be needed as often as it is now. I myself was confused on why this 14-day 'Rule' wasn't made an official one, because it's better for the members to know from the start what's wrong and right than having to be reminded in their first posts!

Now, down to the ideas to actually stop the flow of spam.

I think that, for one, to encourage the rule I posted above, moderators or tech team should just lock and garbage old topics all together if they are older than 14 days. Now, I understand that this is a bit time-consuming, so I did think up a few other ideas if you think this may be a bit too much.

If a new member does post on a topic that's not supposed to be posted on, a moderator should just delete that post and lock and garbage the topic. So this doesn't happen again, someone (or the moderator) could gently remind them of their mishap through PM instead of post. (Moderators should be able to PM members if their PM box is locked or not, if that's possible)

These are the two main ideas I thought of, and I think both of them could be applied instead of choosing one to work.

If you come up with anything else to encourage the idea, don't be afraid to tell me and I'll edit it! If you see an issue with my ideas, tell me as well

ADDITIONAL IDEAS:

For the sticker suggestion, I love that idea! Maybe we could have the
Reviewers be able to place stickers on topics that are in need of being
garbaged, and then moderators can see the stickers if they are looking
down the section and go and do the job?
CREDIT TO STAREYE FOR THIS ONE!

Wow.. the irony... I didn't think people responded to topics that quickly! The ironic part though is that I was just about to make a thread about this myself!
I myself have been deleting and moving the old topics, but informing people of where they've gone bumps them up and defeats the purpose. Anyway, You have some pretty good ideas, Torrentheart! I also had an idea that the moderators could have a mod can that put a "sticker" on a thread that let people see that it shouldn't be posted on until it could be moved or deleted. I'll PM your ideas to Dragonclaw right away!

Stareye wrote:Wow.. the irony... I didn't think people responded to topics that quickly! The ironic part though is that I was just about to make a thread about this myself!
I myself have been deleting and moving the old topics, but informing people of where they've gone bumps them up and defeats the purpose. Anyway, You have some pretty good ideas, Torrentheart! I also had an idea that the moderators could have a mod can that put a "sticker" on a thread that let people see that it shouldn't be posted on until it could be moved or deleted. I'll PM your ideas to Dragonclaw right away!

Thanks! '

For the sticker suggestion, I love that idea! Maybe we could have the Reviewers be able to place stickers on topics that are in need of being garbaged, and then moderators can see the stickers if they are looking down the section and go and do the job?

I 100% agree. I love this idea! Nothing is more annoying than seeing old topics posted on by new members. Seems like nowadays new members don't bother to read the the rules. Also, this gives the reviewers more of a job. Nice thinking Torrentheart!

To avoid any multiple PMs, perhaps the mod who locks the topic should be the one to PM the user. Although regular members are encouraged to enforce rules as well, it may be easier to limit the possibility of multiple members (of course mildly) scolding one person in this case. It would really suck to be a new user and have your PM box flooded with "Hey, just a reminder you broke a rule."

I don't think topics that haven't had any trouble need to be locked. If it's ancient and buried, there's little chance that someone will go through the task of finding it again. However, if a mod feels as though it needs to be locked for any reason, there is no need to post a, "This is going to be locked" before doing so as no one has/is going to post on it anyway. I don't usually lock these kinds of topics, so it's kind of a 'just in case' thing.

Posts shouldn't (and kind of can't) be deleted, but mods are allowed to edit it and add feedback to what's already there. I think just the deleting should be enough.

I think us GMs should just lock topics that have not been active for 14 days regularly too. To prevent members from posting on the topic.

Good idea, Stareye