Random people joining?

Help
1

Hi there :slight_smile:

I have a permanent private room that I use with someone, who is the only person, aside from me, who has the link to the room. However, just now I logged in, and apparently the room was joined by 5 (!) random guest users, which happened when we were both logged out. This is not the first time this has happened… two weeks ago a random guest user also joined the room and left shortly after without saying anything, and so we decided to make a new room… This is a little worrying, could anyone shed some light on why random users are showing up in a private room for which the link is not posted anywhere or given to anyone?

Thanks!!!

1 Like
2

Hi!

can you send me the link to the room as private message. I will then have a look.

(To send a private message, click on my nickname and then “Message”)

Florian

3

I don’t see a message option when i click on your name or profile. I don’t think I’m allowed :slight_frown:

4

Hmm i will check that. Please send an email to florian@watch2gether.com then.

5

Just as a followup for everyone else who might have experienced something similar.

It turned out that the room mentioned was visited by a Google bot called “Google Web Preview”. This bot visits a page for example when you use Google’s URL shortener “https://goo.gl/”. The bot might be triggered by using other Google products as well.

“Google Web Preview” is a pretty advanced bot. It excutes JavaScript and is therefore able to visit a Watch2Gether room just like a normal user and it therefore shows up in the user list.

As of today there is a filter in place which prevents “Google Web Preview” from visiting any Watch2Gether page in order to avoid the confusing visitors.

1 Like
7

this issue is happening to me and my friends

8

Hi @seharzurgham10 can you provide some more details on when and how this happens? In all rooms you visit or just one specific one? Are the users joining just showing up in the user list or are they actually interacting with the room?

11

I have encountered this issue in both temporary rooms and another room that I saved and never shared the link 2 people entered

12

Were the people entering actually interacting with the room or were they just showing up in the user list? You can send me the link to your room to florian@watch2gether.com and i’ll have a look.