October 2025 Updates to the Hire a Freelancer & Want to Buy Sections

PetraAnn

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Earlier in the year we started taking a look at what was going on in the Hire a Freelancer (HAF) and Want to Buy sections of the forum and made several sets of updates.
  • no posting outside links/contact info
  • must be specific about what you want (thread starter) and what you are offering (responder)
  • locking threads that are 30 days or older
Now we're adding 2 new updates to these sections:

1.) forum users MUST have 15 or more posts to start a thread.

2.) there is now a WTB/HAF specific warning.

What Prompted the Changes?

We've seen your threads in the Suggestions and Feedback section, reports and tickets in support. We've also been monitoring these sections since the last updates in July in order to decide what we could do that was good for BlackHat World.

When making our decision, we wanted to make sure that the maximum number of users possible could still use these sections. So we felt that a new user having to wait until they've reached 15 posts is not only a great compromise, it stays in line with access to Direct Messages. Users can spend the time learning about the forum, how to read the different stickied rules that are supplementary to the forum's Terms and Rules, as well as engage with other members.

As far as the warning, we've been trying to utilize existing warnings but it was high time that the WTB and HAF sections have their own.

The WTB/HAF Warning

It's pretty simple. There is a single warning for both the thread starter as well as those of you who can respond to the thread. We've listed the most common violations that we see in the warning, but it's not an exhaustive list. The forum rules and the supplemental sticky rules for each section always take precedence. However, these are the most common rule violations for these sections:

  • Adding contact information (TG, email, whatsapp) to the thread body or responses.
  • Not adding any information to the thread or post (especially putting the information in the title only).
  • Spamming copy/pasted responses in as many threads as possible with very little variation.
As with some other new warnings, this one will start very forgiving but will ramp up pretty quickly if ignored. Of course, the easiest way to avoid getting yourself banned for trying to skirt the rules is to just mind them.

Hopefully these updates will start clearing up the sections and make them useful again for everyone wanting to do business!
 
why 15 posts instead of 10 as 10 posts are the minimum to reply/create Direct Messages?

just curious
15 is the minimum to create a DM on this platform.
 
Spamming copy/pasted responses in as many threads as possible with very little variation.
This is the single worst issue with the haf section.

Some great minds (the same usernames each time, willing to work in basically anything IM related from design to cloacking) here thought it's a good idea to automate answers based on trigger keywords.

You post a thread and in seconds you get dozens of answers. It instantly kills the intent to find a freelancer

It happened to me multiple times here, and made me lose interest.
 
This is the single worst issue with the haf section.

Some great minds (the same usernames each time, willing to work in basically anything IM related from design to cloacking) here thought it's a good idea to automate answers based on trigger keywords.

You post a thread and in seconds you get dozens of answers. It instantly kills the intent to find a freelancer

It happened to me multiple times here, and made me lose interest.
We are working on that as a team, and @PetraAnn has been developing processes to keep the floors clean there.
 
It happened to me multiple times here, and made me lose interest.
Same. Last time I tried finding a provider I got like 20 answers, everyone offering what I asked for, but once you get them into DM they offer some so called service I never asked for. They are so boring.
P.S. Thanks OP for trying to clear that crap
 
Please note that if you do not have 15 posts and as such do not currently have the permissions to post threads in WTB/HAF, this does NOT mean you can go and post your thread somewhere else on the forum.

If we catch you doing this, or you are reported for doing so, you will be warned. If you do see people doing this, please report it.
 
Hopefully these updates will start clearing up the sections and make them useful again for everyone wanting to do business!
 
Hello, I just want to hire a freelancer for a very specific task.
I don't want to spend 1 month here before being able to do that because I need to get my work done ASAP!!!
Please give me permission
The majority of scams are being initiated by sellers, not by the buyers as far as I see in Dispute Resolution
A seller can decide freely if they want to work or not on the buyer terms.
I feel like this rule is going to make a lot of new members leave the forum...
This is ridiculous
You have already been answered here - https://www.blackhatworld.com/seo/proposal-for-new-members.1783982/#post-20278639
 
I know the rules.
I just read the entire forum rules before joining
So your answer @SettingSun77 is pointing me to the rule ?
My point is we've already seen your post and responded to it, so there's no reason for you to repeat yourself in another thread.

The 15 post rule was introduced to reduce the amount of spam threads and posts in the WTB and HAF sections, and has been extremely successful in doing so. We have no intention of changing the rule. It shouldn't take you 1 month to make 15 posts if you engage with the community at large and post in threads that are of interest, but if you choose not to then that's your choice.
 
Okay thanks for clarification
I will spend my money some place else
That's your choice, of course. But I should also point out that your post count is already 4 - and you managed that in less than 24 hours ;)
 
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