@PeterJones ,
What I don’t understand, is how are they getting on to the forums to begin with?

I mean, I sign on with my Google account, you have also the Github account possibility and what, Facebook also, so how is it possible that these trolls/bots are even allowed to post in forums that they haven’t signed in for? Turning off posting ability, if an option, for non-registered users, would seem to be the way to go, if it’s possible.

If you look through this forum’s users list there are quite a few accounts that have never posted. I suspect many of those accounts are for scammers or spammers and assume that it’s robot assisted humans doing whatever is needed to create accounts.

My understanding is that neural nets are better at Captcha than most humans.

Yea, I would always miss those tiny portions of traffic signals in the wee corners of the images. This really is a better task for a computer.
Rob Ott agrees: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWSJhfX6PfQ&ab_channel=TheRiske

Despite Captcha

AFAIK Captcha is literally worthless now. My understanding is that neural nets are better at Captcha than most humans.

I sign on with my Google account, …, so how is it possible that these trolls/bots are even allowed to post in forums that they haven’t signed in for?

They have google (or similar) accounts. Despite Captcha, it’s not that hard (for example, in certain regions of the world, a paid job is to sit creating accounts all day on such providers, which then gives the bots something to work with).

I mean, I sign on with my Google account, you have also the Github account possibility and what, Facebook also, so how is it possible that these trolls/bots are even allowed to post in forums that they haven’t signed in for? Turning off posting ability, if an option, for non-registered users, would seem to be the way to go, if it’s possible.

because it means more work for me and the other mods

Dare I say is it worth considering having a “by invitation” forum. So new users would apply and then be vetted (probably not much, just checking their ability to form sentences in a “non” AI manner).

I doubt this would take as much work as having to be constantly on the lookout for AI type posts. Additionally having that “lock” on the door may well keep potential AI’ers from even considering joining.

Terry

Unfortunately, that feature doesn’t exist in the NodeBB configuration, that I can find.

We might just have to give in and have a “post queue”, where first-time posters have to have their post reviewed/approved by one of the mods before it’s made public. I’ve been hesitant to turn that on, because it means more work for me and the other mods, but since the AI is getting more insistent, we might have to go there.