How important is it to balance effective spam protection with user experience when implementing security measures in PHP forums?

Balancing effective spam protection with user experience is crucial when implementing security measures in PHP forums. While it's important to prevent spam, overly aggressive measures can frustrate legitimate users. One way to achieve this balance is by implementing a multi-layered approach that includes CAPTCHA, honeypot fields, and moderation tools. 

// Example PHP code snippet for implementing a multi-layered spam protection approach in a forum

// CAPTCHA verification
if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {
    if ($_POST["captcha"] != $_SESSION["captcha"]) {
        // CAPTCHA verification failed, handle accordingly
    }
}

// Honeypot field
if (!empty($_POST["honeypot"])) {
    // Honeypot field filled, likely a spam bot
}

// Moderation tools
if ($user->isModerator()) {
    // Allow moderators to flag and delete spam posts
}

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