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There's this person that I don't know, who keeps leaving rude and hostile comments on my blog, on my posts. I have his email and IP addresses, but I don't know if WordPress has a feature to block this type of people. I have tagged him as spam, but what I really wanted was to block him from ever coming to my blog again, without making it private. Is that even possible?
Thank you, merry Christmas and a happy 2012.
The blog I need help with is caamorim.wordpress.com.
We cannot block or delete subscribers from public blogs and we cannot prevent anyone from subscribing to our RSS Feeds on public blogs. Re: public blogs that become private blogs > Blog Privacy and Subscribers > http://wpcommaven.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/blog-privacy-and-subscribers/
You have complete control over which comments you approve and post to your blog. Spammers are not the same as trolls and using the spam button is intended to only be used for spam and not for trolls. Note that you have complete control comment moderation. http://en.support.wordpress.com/settings/discussion-settings/#comment-moderation If your blog is public others can, of course, read it. They can submit comments but you can Moderate all comments and choose which ones to approve or not.
For trolls, you can “blacklist” them at Settings > Discussion toward the bottom of that page. Enter their email address, their username, and if they included it, their website. That will automatically send them to moderation so that their comments do not appear on the blog. Do note though that if they are determined, they can use a different email address or username to get around that. Also, do not put their IP address in the blacklist. IP addresses are no longer unique, and you might end up blocking legitimate visitors. Also, all they would have to do is go to a wi-fi hot spot, or connect via a different ISP and they could get around that.
http://en.support.wordpress.com/settings/discussion-settings/
http://en.support.wordpress.com/settings/discussion-settings/#comment-blacklist
One other thing I would suggest is to set your blog so that first time commenters are held in moderation till approved, then from that point forward they will not need approval. Settings > Discussion. The next step on that of course is to set it so that all comments are held in moderation until approved. That way you are in control, and they might just get tired and go elsewhere after a while.
I have ALL the comments moderated on ALL web sites that I Admin - sort of a belt and suspenders type of thing. Helps to keep the RIF-raff away
~~auxclass
Me too. :)
May I make a suggestion, don't mark this person as spam. Blacklisting, unfortunately, does exactly that. Better to put them on permanent comment moderation and delete. http://en.support.wordpress.com/settings/discussion-settings/#comment-moderation
Generally, I've found that my regular commenters are usually well behaved and don't need to have their comments moderated after passing first muster and I've a notice on my personal site (not the site linked to my username) to that affect. As an extra precaution, I have "The E-mail me whenever anyone posts a comment" enabled, just in case someone is having a bad day and I can quickly unapprove or remove an offending comment.
Just my 2¢ worth.
I thought there was nothing I could do, but I hoped. Thanks anyway.
If I may leave a suggestion: you might think of broader privacy settings, because there really is nothing a person can do against unbalanced people. Not just a troll, a truly out-of-his-mind-angry-at-the-world anonymous coward.
Happy New Year and thank you again.
There are lots of things you can do about unbalanced people. LOTS of things. Some make them worse, some make them better, and some have those effects on you, yourself.
Being a public figure (ie being on the internet) means you will encounter such people.
@caamorim
If I may leave a suggestion: you might think of broader privacy settings, because there really is nothing a person can do against unbalanced people. Not just a troll, a truly out-of-his-mind-angry-at-the-world anonymous coward.
Trolls have a single purpose and that to get an emotional response for those they attack. Every thread in this forum is indexed by Google and is public so anyone with internet access can read this and every thread on the forums. The troll may be reading this thread and getting off on the fact that he did trigger trigger an emotional response from you.
We are all responsible for our own emotional health. It takes just as much energy to take offense as it does to give offense. If you do not take offense when something you do not appreciate is said — the statement and the person who delivered it have no power.If, you do choose to take offense and give the statement and the person who made it power then, needs be, you turn to others to commiserate, expecting that they will stroke you and mother you and they do. When they do you this you choose to feel self-righteously indignant, rather than taking responsibility for your own emotional health and, once again you have given your power away to others.
Please understand that this refusal to live up to our individual responsibility to take care of our “self”, to deal with criticism independently, decisively and effectively is the foundation for the “victim” mindset that pervades our societies today.
Your blog is not YOU. The commentator cannot touch your inner self, unless you give them permission to so don’t open that inner door and give your power away. Take responsibility. Please take responsibility and simply moderate your comments.
Oh Rast! That wasn't meant to be in blockquotes but it did come from a post on my blog. :(
@timethief
I know my blog is not me. And I am not a helpless little victim either. I had a question, and I made a suggestion, that's all. Politely, I might add. You can either take it or leave it. As for your tone, thank you. You reminded me why I never, ever, choose to ask for help, specially in these situations. Although, I kind of wonder what your role really is here...
You know nothing about me and I did not ask you for a mental evaluation. A simple "You're welcome. Hope that you will contact us again" would suffice, but hey! My mistake. I won't do it again. As for my responsibility, no comments.
I'm sorry that copy and paste answer offended you. It wasn't intended to and I do apologize. It was intended to give you a heads up on the fact that everyone who has internet access can read these threads, including the troll in question.
:>0
Speaking of trolls...
@caamorim
About this part of your comment please understand that making suggestions or posting ideas about how to improve wordpress.com could improve should be done in the "Ideas Forum" or by contacting Staff directly.
If I may leave a suggestion: you might think of broader privacy settings, because there really is nothing a person can do against unbalanced people.
As for this part of your comment:
…I kind of wonder what your role really is here...
Please understand that this is for the most part a peer to peer technical support forum. That means most of the folk who answer questions here are your fellow bloggers: we are volunteers. As such we truly do try the best we can to be useful. Please be kind!
I understand that you are upset, and having someone continuously making negative comments is not pleasant. You came here hoping for help putting a stop to it. The people who have told you about your practical and effective options.
If you have other questions, please don't hesitate to come to these forums to find help. While not all answers can be clear-cut and pleasing, we do provide quite a bit of useful information…
Happy blogging
Tess
@disembedded
I've spammed your nonsense comment once. Please refrain from more posts unless they are useful, intelligent, clever, or have a positive value…
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caamorim
justjennifer
disembedded
