Posting filter is over-aggressive

[MrMarv]

I would think that the "Fitbit Community Basics" section would be a better place for this, but I can't start a topic there.

The posting filter has gone - well - postal.

It is not allowing me to bring in previously posted images into a post from my online storage.

The filter is also quite often not allowing a link to a previous post to be inserted, allowing us to leverage previous posts to help members of the community. And some of you that know me are well aware that my posts tend to be lengthly when trying to give step-by-step instructions and showing the expected results. This link issue is hit and miss.

Some word combinations are "not allowed". The two words "out" and "look" when placed one after the other in a post yesterday. And the word that starts with "auto-" and ends with "ized" when used with exercise activities that you don't have to start manually was kicked out earlier today.

** edit ** 

I had to take the word "strange" out of the last paragraph for this to post - it was the second word in the paragraph.

** end edit **

Totally weird and a bit schizo.

[Ennay]

This is exactly what I was coming to ask about.  I just had an entire paragraph about running shoes flagged as inappropriate.  I carefully scanned and removed any abbreviations in case that was being mistaken for something else.  There was absolutely nothing that could be deemed in anyway inappropriate.   Kept trying to edit it , but nothing was allowed.

[MatthewFitbit]

@MrMarv @Ennay Sorry you've run into trouble with the content filters. They have recently become more aggressive in order to counter high volumes of spam on these forums. We've done our best to minimize the effect they have on legitimate users, but I understand that there will be some conflicts.

The interface should show you which characters or phrases are at fault, allowing you to edit accordingly. If you notice a prohibited word that seems like it should be allowed, feel free to PM me.

[Ennay]

I had it flag an entire paragraph and no matter what I did it wanted the entire paragraph deleted.  The entire post.  Not the normal word or two word, or what I usually see is half of 2 words in series.

[MatthewFitbit]

@Ennay It must have been a select word or set of characters that was within that paragraph that was prohibited. If you encounter a situation like that again, feel free to send it over so I can take a look.

[MrMarv]

@MatthewFitbit - 

I will attest to @Ennay statement that many of the words are truncated.

And the wording is such that is a little difficult to determine just what, exactly, is at fault.

Also, may I recommend you re-read my original post - it has a few examples. 

Are you sure that we can send to you in a private message what the boards won't accept?

[MrMarv]

@MatthewFitbit - 

Nope - cannot show you how ridiculous it is in a private message either.

If you want to pm me a throwaway email address to send an image of a post where I was using the "Photos" option to include a screen shot, I'll gladly send it along.

[MrMarv]

@MatthewFitbit -

I don't know about everyone else, but even with the amount of satisfaction I get from participating on the boards and how much I have always enjoyed helping people, I am close to stopping my posting.

And I have a 12 percent post to solution ratio.

[MatthewFitbit]

@MrMarv These new restrictions were just put in place, and I'm still working on refining them. I'm confident that we'll quickly get to the point that they don't affect genuine users like yourself.

I'll reach out via PM to get the specifics of what you're seeing.

[MrMarv]

@MatthewFitbit -

Got the PM and responded. Hope to have some samples for you tonight.

[GSaldiveri]

Apparently any reference to that big online retailer whose name starts with an 'A' also no longer allowed....

*sigh* this is getting to be a lot more work than it is worth.

[SunsetRunner]

@MatthewFitbit I experience the same problem. I tried to post something in another thread and couldn't figure out what could be wrong. Moreover, these filters seem to apply also to the private messages so messaging you isn't working either. Interestingly, yesterday I received a "nigerian scam" type of message which I reported. Looks like not the right thing is being really filtered out.

[bethanysmum2002]

Yes, I have had EXTREME difficulty just posting this post as there have been 7 words and 1 whole sentence that I have not been allowed to type and it is just ridiculous.

[MrMarv]

@bethanysmum2002 - 

I have no clue (yet) what The Greatest Showman is about, but your tagline moved me.

Pardon this old man (I hitch-hiked to Woodstock - the first one - as a teen) but some of those lyrics rivaled Dylan.

"When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out"

That sounds like a strength that everyone wishes they had.

[MatthewFitbit]

I've made some changes over the past few days that hopefully improve the posting system, and reduce instances of false-flagging. Can anyone in this thread comment on their experiences so far this week? Are you still having trouble posting?

[MrMarv]

@MatthewFitbit -

I have been intentionally shying away from some of the words that I KNOW were getting bounced.

It is my feeling that the filter has relaxed as some derivatives of the "bad" words are working.

I will respond to your PM from home this evening, using words I know were failing before. Since the same filter appears to be used in PMs that should work. I'd do it now, but am only on a lunch break and really need to get back to my "real" job.

Thanks for your work on this.

[MrMarv]

@bethanysmum2002, @SunsetRunner, @GSaldiveri, @Ennay -

Just so you know - 

The issue that this topic addresses, also affects private messages. And I just sent a private message to @MatthewFitbit that contained 5 of the blocked words, phrases and images that the filter kicked out from my posts since the new filter went into production.

Four of the five previously blocked w/p/i were not blocked. 

So, while I am not prepared to mark this as solved, @MatthewFitbit appears to have made great strides towards resolving this issue. The proof will be that I will be able to start properly replying to posts without having to rework whole paragraphs each time.

[MatthewFitbit · Accepted solution]

Thanks everyone for assisting with this - I definitely don't want users like yourselves to be impacted by restrictions for spammers.

I think the changes last week improved this situation. Is anyone still experiencing difficulty posting?

[ScrapjenB]

I guess THIS is what I was referring to in one of my posts ... many people were talking about their posts being removed/moderated. I knew I'd run into what seemed an automated filter in the recent past. I then received a PM from a moderator saying my post was deleted... 

I've removed your recent post, quoted below as we have a zero-tolerance for the public airing of grievances in regards to Moderator actions:

"As for the "violations" ... I have to wonder if it's an automated tracking. I think I was hit with it a couple times, also when mentioning a competitor, and yet there have been posts with other brands named so who knows. 

I really hadn't thought my mention of moderation was offensive in any way! It would be nice to know up front what is allowed and what is not, both by an auto-filter and by human moderators.

[MatthewFitbit]

@ScrapjenB Sorry for the confusion - this topic is discussing an issue that should now be resolved, which involved the system not allowing some words and phrases to be posted. If you run into this issue, it will appear on the composition screen as red text telling you that you cannot post certain terms. I believe this should now be resolved.

It sounds like what you are talking about is removal of content that violated our Community Guidelines. I'd suggest reading over that page, which details what is appropriate to post on the forum. If you have further questions, you can respond to the PM you received to ask the Moderator for more information.