User group permissions for Private Messaging

[GodLess101]

There are no permissions that decide which user groups a specific user group should be allowed to Private Message.

There was a previous brief discussion on the Official Discord.

Some of the benefits of the implementation:

• Limit a particular user group's capabilities of spamming.
  
• Let banned users PM Moderators or Admins.
  
• Reasonability and Scalability
  

The above setting will benefit if a feature to limit Daily PM Quotas for specific user groups or just a global Daily PM Quota is implemented in tandem. For the scenario where new users or banned users are allowed to PM 1 or 2 user groups, they can still, within flooding range, spam the members of these groups. Consideration for whether Daily PM Quota should be a user group permission or a configuration setting would be necessary.

[Ben]

I would definitely like to see this added given the ever increasing amount of spam bots we keep seeing.

[nixer55]

Probably misinterpreting the OP, but we limit new users using a post count metric.  They can't send PM's at all until the threshold is reached.  Group promotion then moves them to another group which can.  That requires a logout / login to take effect.  We also use @Crazycat's ABP Restrict Url in a complementary manner.  In our case, the vast majority of bots don't get through.  So it's malicious but real people that pose the larger threat.

Yes, requires moderation oversight, but you can't automate everything don't believe.  We're mid-sized established board +300k posts, +16k members.

cheers...

[Ben]

Probably misinterpreting the OP, but we limit new users using a post count metric.  They can't send PM's at all until the threshold is reached.  Group promotion then moves them to another group which can.  That requires a logout / login to take effect.  We also use @Crazycat's ABP Restrict Url in a complementary manner.  In our case, the vast majority of bots don't get through.  So it's malicious but real people that pose the larger threat.

Yes, requires moderation oversight, but you can't automate everything don't believe.  We're mid-sized established board +300k posts, +16k members.

cheers...

So how do you handle the moderation and reporting of PM's? A 3rd party plugin?

[GodLess101]

Probably misinterpreting the OP, but we limit new users using a post count metric.  They can't send PM's at all until the threshold is reached.  Group promotion then moves them to another group which can.  That requires a logout / login to take effect.  We also use @Crazycat's ABP Restrict Url in a complementary manner.  In our case, the vast majority of bots don't get through.  So it's malicious but real people that pose the larger threat.

Yes, requires moderation oversight, but you can't automate everything don't believe.  We're mid-sized established board +300k posts, +16k members.

cheers...

The reasoning for implementing this is very logical. Whilst you handle it in one way, every MyBB Board can handle it in a completely different manner.

I understand the way your board does this, it's fine to do it this way, and I have also had this implemented on a board with +25k members.

If a board wants to allow banned users to send 5 PMs a day and only send it to support staff, it can be done with these settings. Vice versa, if it's a new user, then on your board, the quota can be set to 2 PMs a day.

Limiting users should be done moderately. A new user might still want to PM someone in a huge community where users might seek help or guidance. In your board, new users are pre 10 posts, but in other boards with other rulesets, this could be completely different. We should strive to generalize and abstract MyBB's core.

[Ben]

My concern with this is say you allow the banned group to send Private Messages to staff, it could leave you open for a lot of abuse towards the staff.

[GodLess101]

My concern with this is say you allow the banned group to send Private Messages to staff, it could leave you open for a lot of abuse towards the staff.

Yes, that is why we should implement a daily pm quota for user groups as well. Such that if a board wants banned users to be able to PM say Moderators, they can also choose to limit that usergroup to sending 2 PM per day i.e.

[Omar G.]

Hi, I think I understand the practical use for this and agree it is valid and might be useful. However, I think this could be handled perfectly by a plugin.