Feature Request: Remove signatures from guests view (for SEO)

[Rod.]

I would like to request the following feature be built into IPB.

Here's the scenario... Today thousands of people are using forums as a way to generate backlinks. It's easy and free. What they do is create accounts on various forums, then start posting like they have an interest (really they don't). They make a handful of posts, and then stop. They wait a few weeks, then come back to the forums and update their signature with backlinks to their site.

This of course is an easy way to generate link juice. This tactic needs to be stopped. I hate the fact that people sign up on my forum and use this tactic -- especially when the backlinks are to unfavorable sites. The admin will never know unless someone reports it, which is often rare since again the spammers wait until the threads die down a bit.

Can we please have a feature which allows us to TURN OFF signature view for guests? This way, even if a spammer came back and added backlinks, Google won't pick it up, therefore no link juice will be passed onto the spammers site.

Thoughts?

[Mikey B]

Hello,

This is already a feature, as far as I'm aware. ;)

AdminCP > System (tab) > System Settings > Members (tab) > User Profiles > Allow guests to view signatures

Hope that helps! :smile:

[Rod.]

Nice! Thanks so much! This will definitely help with my SEO. :)

Maybe this feature can be also placed in the guests member group, to help make it easier to find? Just a suggestion. Thanks again! :)

[Mikey B]

Nice! Thanks so much! This will definitely help with my SEO. :smile:

Maybe this feature can be also placed in the guests member group, to help make it easier to find? Just a suggestion. Thanks again! :smile:

It doesn't make sense to go in the Guests member group, in my opinion, as it's not a per-group setting. The developers read these forums though, so we'll see what they think :)

[Rod.]

Either way, thanks for pointing it out. :smile: