Before HF20 = 45k userbase or more... Now userbase 10k. Spam problem can't be solved with steem code, it's steemit, busy, esteem problem.
The first and second problem can be solved with creation of API that shows the origin of the upvote, and the interface like steemit can remove upvote from outside steemit, and change post value to 1:1.
That's my opinion!
RE: The FUNDAMENTAL issue of Steem nobody talks about... Part 1: Defining the problem (+ Bounty!)