Monday, March 18, 2013

SPAM FRUSTRATION


I'm not sure what is up with Blogger lately but as many of you know, fellow bloggers included, spam comments are going c-r-a-z-y.  The spam filter gets most of them but they just keep coming more and more and more often...and today one slipped through that was obscene and offensive
(my apologies to anyone who was subjected to it).  Arrgh!

I've hesitated to ban anonymous comments because many of you use that to comment and we love comments from everyone.

I also don't like the word verification feature since it was upgraded because probably 75% of the time, I can't figure it out on the first try and if I can't, I'm guessing that many of you can't either.

So for now, I've decided to just moderate all comments.  I have my phone and my iPad with me most of the time so that I can approve a comment almost as quickly as it's left.


I've read on other forums that Google is working on some possible upgrades to the system that we use so perhaps they can figure out a way to help us.  Let's see how this goes for now.

Thank you for understanding and please keep on commenting!


21 comments:

  1. The spam has been bad on my blog, too. I think I got the same filthy one you did a couple of days ago, but luckily I do moderate all comments. I appreciate blogs without word verification (why can't they just make it a series of decipherable numbers?) Hang in there!

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    1. Yep, I think moderation is the way to go. Word verification wouldn't be bad if it was readable, heck sometimes I can't even decipher the numbers on there either.

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  2. Yeah, I gave up on allowing anonymous comments a while back, that's where all the spam was coming from. I've been spam free since then, with comment moderation on but no word verification (gads I hate that).

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    1. I looked and in the last week I've had 15 or so anonymous comments that were legitimate. I don't think some realize that you can still post and just put a name in without having to have a google account or ID and it will get posted. I haven't decided how to handle that yet, but comment moderation is good. And yes, the word verification is horrible since they changed it last year.

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  3. I have comment moderation and no word verification. So far so good.

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    1. Thank you, that's the plan here and today, the first day with it, it's worked pretty well.

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  4. Good luck, another blogger was having problems with new followers from foreign countries this week creating havoc on her blog. Hope Goggle puts a fix in place.

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    1. Really? Yikes! Yes, Google needs to reign this all in soon.

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  5. Spam is always a problem around our house.
    The fact that my daughter loves it fried with pineapple is enough to make me gag.
    I love your blog and watching you guys work to make your dreams happen.
    --an almost anonymous, retired, and old horse trainer.

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    1. LOL! You know, I started to post something showing a can of spam and saying I loved spam, ha. I really do like it (though have never eaten it with pineapple but I'd be willing try it, ha). Thank you so much for the kind words, it's a slow process, baby steps, but someday I'll be able to look back over this and go "wow, we came a long way". Thank you again.

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  6. I too just have comment moderation and don't allow anonymous comments. I've not experienced the spam comments that you are getting but then I'm not as widely read.

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    1. I think the more visitors you have the more spam that comes along with it. Yes some of it is very obscene, though most is innocent enough but still annoying.

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  7. I'll go with comment mediation. that would help!

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    1. Thank you, that's what I did, I followed your lead! :-)

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  8. Ohhhh and my comments is waiting for approval now ... then kuddos! LOL

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    1. ha, there you go!! I think I can do it without banning anonymous comments, so far anyway, ha.

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  9. that is a bummer that happened. i just got rid of my moderation but i might have to turn it back on! made for some interesting reading yesterday though!!!

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    1. LOL! You got the joy of reading it before I caught it, sorry! If you have anonymous turned off you shouldn't have much problem. We just have a few loyal readers that still post that way so we'll just have to see what happens.

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  10. Everyone one of us are going through the same thing. I've done the same thing.

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    1. it's a pain huh? I hate that a few bad apples have to ruin it for everyone else.

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  11. The spam was horrible for me a few months ago and I wound up deciding to no longer accept anonymous comments. It was definitely a hard choice, but I just could't handle it anymore and I hate the word verification.

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Please leave us a comment! I have some comment moderation on and of course will approve your comment relatively quickly. We love feedback and hearing what others have to share with us all. Please know that I can't always reply to it right away, but ALL comments are read. I will reply just as soon as I can so be sure to come back and see my reply.

Now, let us hear from you!