Blorbo Admin Chicken

I've temporarily disabled the permission that lets existing users invite new users to join blorbo.social.

We've seen a handful of new users who've applied for new accounts with plausible-seeming reasons, been accepted, and then sent invites to all their bot friends with ai-generated profiles etc.

Just in case it isn't blindingly obvious: we don't want spammy bots with ai-generated profiles here.

I would love to find a way to keep user invites enabled for trusted users. At the moment, though, it looks like the options are: (1) free-for-all or (2) nothing.

For now, new accounts will require applications, and will have to wait for a mod to review and approve them.

Please put something in your application that makes it clear you're an actual human person with an interest in fandom! essays are *not* required, but it helps to tell us something that you're currently fannish about.

We'll be stricter about rejecting applications that don't seem genuine, which means we might reject some that we would have previously accepted.

If your application gets rejected, you are welcome to apply again. As long as you get a bit more fannish on the next go-round, you'll probably get accepted.

#BlorboAdmin

Seeing a bunch of new account applications with 'reasons' that seem like nonsense mad libs, and have nothing to do with the purpose of our instance. Some examples:

> Powered by etsy and small batch. Soft marfa glow in Hialeah. Designing around synth constraints. Tastefully fanny pack.

> Sent from a pitchfork corner of Pittsburgh. Vice tote with river inside.

> Living that biodiesel life. Born in Tulsa, raised on 90's. Locally sourced 8-bit, globally her.

I'm assuming that these account applications are automatically generated by spammers.

Are other admins seeing applications like this? Do you also suspect that they're spammers, or is there some other likely explanation?

#MastoAdmin

mastodon.cloud is an abandoned server with open sign-ups, meaning that it's an easily exploited home for spammers etc.

they're now limited from blorbo.social. we'll probably suspend at some point, because it seems like the admins aren't coming back.

if you follow any accounts on mastodon.cloud, you might want to encourage them to transfer to a more actively maintained server.

#BlorboFed

Blorbo.Social is a volunteer-run and community-funded project.

We plan to keep this community free for members.

There's no expectation or requirement to contribute. However, if you have spare funds to throw at hosting expenses, here’s our Open Collective: https://opencollective.com/blorbosocial

We don't federate with baraag.

We regularly get people applying for accounts on blorbo.social, stating that their reason for applying is so that they can have access to baraag.

We just reject those applications.

Why do people keep assuming that they can get access to baraag through us?