How to Utilize User-Generated Feedback to Fight Spam

When used in aggregate, user reporting can provide valuable indicators that can supplement automated systems. Algorithmic-based systems rely on classes of signals that have previously been shown to correspond to spam attacks. However, spammers continuously work to obfuscate their signals through new techniques and user reports can be a clear signal of new attack vectors. Facebook developed a robust and systematic approach to leverage trends in user-generated reports by geography, method-of-attack, location of the spam (e.g. News Feed, Groups, etc.) and type of content (e.g. photos, shares) to identify spam attacks. Attacks identified through this system are categorized based on current and new signals which are fed back into algorithmic systems to prevent further attacks using these techniques.