Guide
Set up link protection
Link protection checks the links in every message against two lists of known bad websites: adult websites, and scam and phishing websites. Both lists are off on a new server and each has its own switch.
How it works
SfwBot reads the website addresses in each message and compares their domains with two blocklists:
| List | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Adult domains | Known adult and pornographic websites |
| Scam and phishing domains | Known scam, phishing and malicious websites |
The lists are maintained for you and updated automatically every 24 hours. You do not add domains yourself; if you need to block a word or an address of your own, use the custom keywords in AutoMod.
Link protection looks at the address, not at the page behind it. It runs before media is scanned and uses no credits. Invitations to other Discord servers are handled by the invite filter. For an overview of the feature see link protection.
Set it up in the dashboard
There is little to configure. The [settings reference](/docs/settings) lists the options and their defaults.
Open Link protection, Domain blocklist
In the dashboard, open your server and go to Link protection, then Domain blocklist.
Switch on the lists you want
Each list has its own Use this list switch. Most servers switch on the scam and phishing list. Switch on the adult list unless your server allows such links.
Decide whether messages are deleted
Each list has a Delete messages switch. When it is off, SfwBot leaves the message in place and only reports it in the log channel.
Set a log channel
Reports go to your log channel. If none is set, see logging.
Save
Choose Save changes. The lists apply to new messages at once.
The `/settings` command
/settings has the page Link filter with both lists. For each one you can switch the list on or off and choose whether messages are deleted. It needs the Manage Server permission. See the command reference.
What happens on a violation
- The message is deleted, if Delete messages is on for that list.
- A log entry is posted to your log channel, whether or not the message was deleted.
- Trust is deducted, if you use trust and strikes. A link counts once per message.
- The member is told about the trust loss, if trust is on and set to tell members. Members who opted in with
/dmsget a direct message. Others get a short channel notice that deletes itself, unless you switched the notice off in General settings.
The two lists have different severity tiers:
| Violation | Default tier |
|---|---|
| Porn domain | High |
| Scam domain | Critical |
Critical is the heaviest tier. With the default trust settings, one scam link uses up a member's whole trust and leads straight to a strike. That fits accounts that were taken over to spread phishing links, but think about which strike action you want before you switch trust on. You can lower the tier of either violation, or switch it off, in the trust settings.
Link protection has no timeout of its own. A timeout comes from the strike action.
The log keeps the blocked domain as the reason. That text is deleted after 30 days.
Exemptions
Link protection has no exempt channels or roles. If a list is on, it applies wherever the bot can read messages.
If you want to see what the lists would catch before anything is removed, switch Delete messages off for a while and watch the log channel.
Troubleshooting
- A link was reported but not removed. Either Delete messages is off for that list, or the bot lacks Manage Messages in that channel. Run
/statusto see where the permission is missing. - A bad link got through. The lists only contain known domains, and new scam websites appear every day. Delete the message by hand, and consider the scam packs in AutoMod as a second layer.
- A harmless website was blocked. Blocklists are sometimes wrong. Restore the member's trust by reverting the violation from the log entry.
- A member got a strike for one link. A scam domain is critical by default. Lower its tier in the trust settings if that is too strict for your server.
- No log entries. No log channel is set, or the bot cannot post there.
Common questions
Can I add my own domains?
Not to these lists. Use the custom keyword block in AutoMod to block an address of your own.
Does link protection open the links?
No. It compares the domain in the message with the lists and does not visit the website.
Does link protection use credits?
No. Domain blocklists are free to use on every plan.