| Halaman dalam topik: < [1 2 3 4] | Concern about inappropriate Kudoz participation Penyiaran jaluran : expressisverbis
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expressisverbis
Portugal
Local time: 12:38
Ahli (2015)
Bahasa Inggeris hingga Bahasa Portugis
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | expressisverbis
Portugal
Local time: 12:38
Ahli (2015)
Bahasa Inggeris hingga Bahasa Portugis
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | On the support ticket to the staff sent on 21 March: | Apr 1 |
Given the very visible server response problem and the fact that it's been awful to use the site today, I think I should share the reply I received from the staff.
It's perhaps not the response we'd all like to have, as it sounds more like a standard reply.
"Thank you for reaching out.
Let me address your concerns:
Technical issues: We are aware of the system issues the site is experiencing. These are primarily caused by crawler attacks, which have ne... See more Given the very visible server response problem and the fact that it's been awful to use the site today, I think I should share the reply I received from the staff.
It's perhaps not the response we'd all like to have, as it sounds more like a standard reply.
"Thank you for reaching out.
Let me address your concerns:
Technical issues: We are aware of the system issues the site is experiencing. These are primarily caused by crawler attacks, which have necessitated stronger server security measures. As a result, we have implemented additional protections, such as Cloudflare verification. While these measures enhance security, they may occasionally lead to errors like the one you encountered or temporarily restrict some accounts from accessing the site.
Unfortunately, I cannot provide a specific timeline for when these restrictions might be lifted. However, please rest assured that we have a dedicated team working to resolve these issues and improve server stability for a better user experience. Our support and development teams are coordinating closely to report and address issues promptly. That said, this is a complex problem that cannot be permanently resolved within hours or even days.
KudoZ activity control: Please note that the support team has identified cases where site rules were not being followed, and appropriate actions have been taken. Site staff is not permitted to discuss administrative actions with third parties. However, I can confirm that the user you reported has been contacted, and necessary restrictions have been applied. Additionally, we are investigating the activity related to that account site-wide and considering further actions if necessary.
Vetting process: Yes, we have a dedicated team that reviews all posts before they become publicly visible, including job postings, Blue Board entries, articles, events, forum posts, and KudoZ questions, among others. We continuously implement additional measures to minimize scam activity on the site. Moreover, ProZ.com provides the following resources to help users with due diligence:
Blue Board: http://www.proz.com/blueboard/
Risk Management for Freelance Translators and Interpreters (Video): http://www.proz.com/videos/2102-risk-management-for-freelance-translators-and-interpreters
Scams Forum: http://www.proz.com/forum/946
Scam Alert Center: http://www.proz.com/about/translator-scam-alerts/
However, please remember that ProZ.com is not legally or professionally involved in transactions or contracts between service providers and outsourcers. We serve as a platform and provide users with the necessary resources to assess and investigate potential clients independently.
Discussions and moderation: All comments that violate site rules are removed immediately. If a user repeatedly engages in inappropriate behavior, stricter actions are taken. However, we can only take measures after a discussion takes place, as there is no way to preemptively control what users post. Site staff is committed to maintaining and enforcing site rules to ensure meaningful discussions. However, fostering a respectful and professional environment is also the responsibility of users.
We remain committed to supporting our community, as our mission is centered on addressing the needs and objectives of our members.
Hope it helps clarifying your questions."
My reply:
"Thank you for your response. I appreciate the time taken to address my concerns, but there are still some key points that remain unclear. I’d like to follow up for further clarification.
1. Technical Issues – Long Resolution Time
I understand that security measures like Cloudflare verification are necessary due to crawler attacks. However, similar attacks occur on many platforms, and they are usually mitigated within days, not months or years. You mentioned that a dedicated team is working on it, but:
What specific steps are being taken to resolve this permanently?
Why has this problem persisted for so long despite ongoing reports from users?
2. Vetting Process – Inconsistent Application
I understand that posts can only be reviewed when you are alerted by users reporting issues, but the concern here is who gets scrutinized. Established, experienced users seem to undergo more frequent vetting than new or unqualified users who contribute irrelevant content. That’s the example of that fashion blogger!
Why is the platform allowing individuals with no expertise (e.g., fashion bloggers and others I can’t remember of now) to participate in technical discussions or other discussions?
Why are unqualified users allowed to register and answer industry-specific questions in the first place?
Are there plans to implement stricter screening during registration to prevent this?
3. Moderation and Platform Priorities
You mentioned that moderation actions are taken when necessary. However, given the recurring issues with off-topic discussions, AI-generated responses, and self-promotion, what proactive steps are being taken to:
Prevent irrelevant users from accessing professional forums
Maintain discussion quality without placing an unnecessary burden on experienced users
Improve transparency in moderation decisions so users can see that issues are actually being addressed
I appreciate your time and your efforts in maintaining the platform. However, I would really like to understand what concrete steps are being taken to address these concerns, as many of these problems have continued for a long time with little visible improvement, and they are affecting severely the whole community.
Looking forward to your response.
Best regards,"
And I got a last and short message regarding the above; almost the same answer as the previous one.
A forum that’s slow and full of errors isn’t much of a forum at all! It's a nightmare to use it and today in particular. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Maria Laura Curzi
Argentina
Local time: 08:38
Bahasa Inggeris hingga Bahasa Sepanyol
+ ...
| Still waiting answers | Apr 1 |
I didn't get any reply on the report I sent on March 12th.
And this reply doesn't answer nor mention anything about neither of the two serious points:
a_ The unclear Kudoz rules regarding agencies/companies' participation, and
b_ The language knowledge/mastery and the “genuine expertise” needed to participate. It's still unclear if just copy/paste AI answers is allowed or disallowed. That says it all.
So, I'm still waiting for clear answers.
| | | | Philip Lees 
Greece
Local time: 14:38
Bahasa Greek hingga Bahasa Inggeris
expressisverbis wrote:
I think I should share the reply I received from the staff.
It's perhaps not the response we'd all like to have, as it sounds more like a standard reply.
...
And I got a last and short message regarding the above; almost the same answer as the previous one.
Maybe the reason ProZ left the ChatGPT account active was so they could use it to generate answers to questions and complaints from users of the site.
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ibz
Local time: 13:38
Bahasa Inggeris hingga Bahasa Jerman
+ ...
Staff wrote:
KudoZ activity control: Please note that the support team has identified cases where site rules were not being followed, and appropriate actions have been taken. Site staff is not permitted to discuss administrative actions with third parties. However, I can confirm that the user you reported has been contacted, and necessary restrictions have been applied. Additionally, we are investigating the activity related to that account site-wide and considering further actions if necessary.
So how come this user is still listed as KudoZ leader (1106 points)?
| | | | Maria Laura Curzi
Argentina
Local time: 08:38
Bahasa Inggeris hingga Bahasa Sepanyol
+ ...
ibz wrote:
Staff wrote:
KudoZ activity control: Please note that the support team has identified cases where site rules were not being followed, and appropriate actions have been taken. Site staff is not permitted to discuss administrative actions with third parties. However, I can confirm that the user you reported has been contacted, and necessary restrictions have been applied. Additionally, we are investigating the activity related to that account site-wide and considering further actions if necessary.
So how come this user is still listed as KudoZ leader (1106 points)?
On the profile, it says:
Total pts earned: 1888
PRO-level pts: 1766
I'm guessing that this user remains among the leaders because the profile wasn't deleted, same case as with our “colleague” ChatGPT > https://www.proz.com/profile/670924
I wonder if these two are the only fake profiles on Proz? Probably not; we have met the fashion blogger.
I noted that the reply part about the Vetting Process didn't mention profiles: Vetting process: Yes, we have a dedicated team that reviews all posts before they become publicly visible, including job postings, Blue Board entries, articles, events, forum posts, and KudoZ questions, among others. We continuously implement additional measures to minimize scam activity on the site.
If these fake profiles aren't deleted, then all the previous activity still remains visible on the site. Including Kudoz points.
The amazing thing is that Proz allowed this user to spam Kudoz answers in more than 90 language pairs for at least 4 years (sometimes flooding +5 answers per day) without reviewing its activity, despite several users commenting on Kudoz Forum about it since 2022.
No wonder it reached leader points and remains there even if all participation stopped on March 12th.
| | | | Zea_Mays
Itali
Local time: 13:38
Ahli (2009)
Bahasa Inggeris hingga Bahasa Jerman
+ ...
There is also a non-real user in the English-German pair that publishes AI bot answers to almost every question in this pair.
This one looks like a real bot, as there is NEVER any reaction to disagrees and/or comments or any interaction from this 'user'. It just publishes KI generated stuff (and often crap).
| | | | Uri Vives
Sepanyol
Local time: 13:38
Bahasa Inggeris hingga Bahasa Catalan
+ ...
| There have been many reports of issues with kudoz. I guess nothing is perfect! | Apr 3 |
Hi Sandra,
I am sorry this has happened to you and that you feel offended. I can't point you to any conversation or forum in particular (but you can do a simple search for that matter), but it seems the kudoz system has been reported several times in the proz forums because:
1) Sometimes some people creates two or more profiles to get points;
2) Sometimes the answers picked are clearly wrong;
3) Sometimes the point assignation is based in friendships and con... See more Hi Sandra,
I am sorry this has happened to you and that you feel offended. I can't point you to any conversation or forum in particular (but you can do a simple search for that matter), but it seems the kudoz system has been reported several times in the proz forums because:
1) Sometimes some people creates two or more profiles to get points;
2) Sometimes the answers picked are clearly wrong;
3) Sometimes the point assignation is based in friendships and connections, and not the answers;
4) Sometimes points get stolen based on the previous;
and many other tricks and cheats you might think of, that they happen because their users are dishonest.
So I guess we can add the AI to the previous list! ▲ Collapse
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expressisverbis
Portugal
Local time: 12:38
Ahli (2015)
Bahasa Inggeris hingga Bahasa Portugis
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Uri Vives wrote:
Hi Sandra,
I am sorry this has happened to you and that you feel offended. I can't point you to any conversation or forum in particular (but you can do a simple search for that matter), but it seems the kudoz system has been reported several times in the proz forums because:
1) Sometimes some people creates two or more profiles to get points;
2) Sometimes the answers picked are clearly wrong;
3) Sometimes the point assignation is based in friendships and connections, and not the answers;
4) Sometimes points get stolen based on the previous;
and many other tricks and cheats you might think of, that they happen because their users are dishonest.
So I guess we can add the AI to the previous list!
Sorry, but I think you misunderstood this thread.
This is not about me feeling offended. It's a general issue, affecting many language pairs in Kudoz.
The real issue is the declining credibility of this platform. AI abuse, along with the issues you listed, is just another layer on top of an already flawed system.
Unless something is done, this forum will keep losing its value.
This affects the reputation and professionalism of translators and the site itself.
I really don’t know where you got the ‘offended’ part from!
| | | | Uri Vives
Sepanyol
Local time: 13:38
Bahasa Inggeris hingga Bahasa Catalan
+ ...
| Sorry, I think you misunderstood my message. | Apr 7 |
expressisverbis wrote:
Uri Vives wrote:
Hi Sandra,
I am sorry this has happened to you and that you feel offended. I can't point you to any conversation or forum in particular (but you can do a simple search for that matter), but it seems the kudoz system has been reported several times in the proz forums because:
1) Sometimes some people creates two or more profiles to get points;
2) Sometimes the answers picked are clearly wrong;
3) Sometimes the point assignation is based in friendships and connections, and not the answers;
4) Sometimes points get stolen based on the previous;
and many other tricks and cheats you might think of, that they happen because their users are dishonest.
So I guess we can add the AI to the previous list!
Sorry, but I think you misunderstood this thread.
This is not about me feeling offended. It's a general issue, affecting many language pairs in Kudoz.
The real issue is the declining credibility of this platform. AI abuse, along with the issues you listed, is just another layer on top of an already flawed system.
Unless something is done, this forum will keep losing its value.
This affects the reputation and professionalism of translators and the site itself.
I really don’t know where you got the ‘offended’ part from!
Hello,
Thank you for expressing your point of view.
It seems you took offense in my answer (I really don't know why since it didn't refer to you especifically), so that's two, but I am sorry you did -when I saw your posting I remembered a lot of similar posts in this directory about similar issues with the kudoz and I wanted to share this information about it. I think you need to be more open to other's people experience and points of view. The kudoz system is what it is, and it can be (and has, as it has been reported so many times) cheated and manipulated: that is a sad reality that has been shown in many postings, like this one you created. I hope you understand this.
I agree with you: some people should take things more seriously and treat our profession with respect! Do you want to talk about rates? Two days ago I was offered a translation job for $0.02 per word. What do you think of that?
[Edited at 2025-04-07 08:50 GMT]
| | | | expressisverbis
Portugal
Local time: 12:38
Ahli (2015)
Bahasa Inggeris hingga Bahasa Portugis
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Uri Vives wrote:
Hello,
Thank you for expressing your point of view.
It seems you took offense in my answer (I really don't know why since it didn't refer to you especifically), so that's two, but I am sorry you did -when I saw your posting I remembered a lot of similar posts in this directory about similar issues with the kudoz and I wanted to share this information about it. I think you need to be more open to other's people experience and points of view. The kudoz system is what it is, and it can be (and has, as it has been reported so many times) cheated and manipulated: that is a sad reality that has been shown in many postings, like this one you created. I hope you understand this.
I agree with you: some people should take things more seriously and treat our profession with respect! Do you want to talk about rates? Two days ago I was offered a translation job for $0.02 per word. What do you think of that?
Please don’t make assumptions about how I feel. I mean what you previously said "Hi Sandra, I am sorry this has happened to you and that you feel offended." It happened to many of us.
I have never been offended by you or by the main issue of this thread: a supposed company answering questions in multiple language pairs, with no expertise, most likely with the aid of AI, which is unfair and unprofessional toward the entire community (translators and agencies).
This thread was never about me or my feelings.
As for your question, I’m sure many of us have been offered that rate at some point.
It’s unfortunate, but not surprising. I simply ignore those kinds of job offers and focus on what truly matters.
Today the staff closed my support ticket on this issue, so I want to believe they really took action.
Have a good evening!
[Edited at 2025-04-07 22:24 GMT]
[Edited at 2025-04-07 22:25 GMT]
[Edited at 2025-04-07 22:27 GMT]
| | | | Maria Laura Curzi
Argentina
Local time: 08:38
Bahasa Inggeris hingga Bahasa Sepanyol
+ ...
Uri Vives wrote:
The kudoz system is what it is, and it can be (and has, as it has been reported so many times) cheated and manipulated: that is a sad reality that has been shown in many postings, like this one you created. I hope you understand this.
We understand that people can cheat, but we don't understand why Proz allows fake profiles (or AI bots) to cheat too. I guess it has to do with big bucks; after all, it seems everything on this website is turning into an AI advertising/sponsoring platform. So Kudoz isn't anymore a terminology help for human translators, but a showcase of AI used by fake profiles to reach leader ranks in more than 90 languages, that's the sad reality.
Uri Vives wrote:
I agree with you: some people should take things more seriously and treat our profession with respect! Do you want to talk about rates? Two days ago I was offered a translation job for $0.02 per word. What do you think of that?
[Edited at 2025-04-07 08:50 GMT]
That's another issue that has nothing to do with Kudoz, so if you want to talk about that, just start another thread/topic, rather than hijacking this one.
https://www.proz.com/siterules/forum/4#4 > “Replies should not stray from the posted topic.
When responding to a topic, stick to the topic as introduced. To change the discussion, it is necessary to post a new topic.”
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