You may find that trying to post links like youtube or blog posts (or any link for that matter) on your facebook page has suddenly stopped working with the following facebook error message popping up in a box at the point where you hit the “share” button:
Sorry! Post Blocked to Prevent Spam.
You appear to be using a browser plug-in that attaches spam to your Facebook posts. To complete your post, please remove this browser plug-in or switch to a different computer.
If you are using the new AVG 2011 Antivirus software, it’s likely that this is the cause. AVG 2011 attempts to insert a message at the top of your post that indicates the link is “safe” having been scanned by AVG’s linkscanner. Facebook views that as auto-spam and as a result, blocks you from posting your link.
The most straightforward approach to resolving this issue and getting back to being able to post important links (like your favorite Funky Friday music video) is as follows:
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Open the AVG control panel by double-clicking the AVG icon on your desktop (or in your programs list)
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Pull down the TOOLS menu and choose “advanced settings”
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In the left-hand panel, click on “LinkScanner”
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Now look in the right-hand panel and uncheck the checkbox for “Add ‘Secured by LinkScanner’ to any sent Facebook or MySpace message checked by LinkScanner. This applies only to messages which contain links.”
And that’s it. Happy posting!
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This article was written by Andy Trask, Head Geek at Geek Housecalls, the New England area’s original traveling computer geeks, on the web at www.geekhousecalls.com. Geek Housecalls specializes in “anything computer” and, since 2001, has become the trusted in-home computer and technology support provider for over 15,000 families and small business computer users in eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and southern New Hampshire. For help with your computers, gadgets, or network at home or at the office, click here to contact Geek Housecalls via the web, or call toll free:
1-877-4PC-GEEK (1-877-472-4335)
