WordPress.com

1. scriptorobscura
   Member
   Nov 28, 2011, 8:55 AM

   I just recently got a notice that someone by the name of Writer Jobs had subscribed to my blog. This subscriber also made a generic spammy comment solicitation to my latest post which linked back to their site, a site which to me is a spam blog. I quickly deleted the comment without even posting it. This person has no wordpress blog themselves, only a blogspot one, which only has one post on it that was created very recently and which is a solicitation for their services. Also this person has multiple versions of the exact same gravatar profile, but at slightly different addresses. Ex. http://he.gravatar.com/easywriters and http://en.gravatar.com/easywriters
   And their very name Writer Jobs is like a neon sign of spam solicitation to me.

   These things immediately raised red flags and to me are strong indicators of a spam solicitation blog, as the blog has no real content, and only seeks to direct people to sign up for their services. I am also concerned that this person will steal my content, since I only post my own original poems and stories and create new writing regularly. Therefore, my question is this:

   Can some knowledgable wordpress person here unsubscribe this Writer Jobs from my blog please, or direct me as to how I can go about doing it myself? I do not want them to be subscribed to my blog.
   Sorry for the long-winded and detailed explanation of my request, but I was searching for answers to this very question and as per airodyssey's comment on this topic here that directs us to contact staff and ask them for help, I am providing a solid rationale for my request. And I am posting it here since support staff seem to be unavailable for contact at the current time. I would be very grateful if someone is able to help me, and I sincerely thank you for your time and your help!

   PS:

   By the way, I strongly, strongly recommend to WordPress.com that they add a feature to all blogs that allows one to unsubscribe any subscribers from ones own blog as one so chooses. This would be extremely helpful in avoiding the problem of unwanted and/or spam subscribers.

   WordPress needs to be aware of the fact that its not just spam comments that can appear on blogs, but spam/unwanted subscribers as well, and while it is easy to delete spam comments, it is impossible to remove unwanted and/or spam subscribers. The creation of such a feature would immediately resolve and address the problem of deleting unwanted subscribers that I and others are having. Other social network sites such as YouTube already allow you to unsubscribe people who are subscribed to you, so please install such a feature soon! It would be truly appreciated!

   The blog I need help with is scriptorwrites.wordpress.com.

2. raincoaster
   Member
   Nov 28, 2011, 9:34 AM

   Contact staff and ask for their help.

   Subscribers, of course, only receive what you write. They can't alter it in any way. But the ability to unsubscribe people has been requested multiple times, if it makes you feel better.

3. scriptorobscura
   Member
   Nov 28, 2011, 9:53 AM

   When I click on support and then on contact staff, the page says this:

   "Support is closed over the weekend. It will reopen on Monday, November 28th.
   In the meantime, please use the search box below to find a solution to any problems. Alternatively, head to the WordPress.com Forums if you’re in a pickle, there are some great volunteers who will be able to sort you out, and we’ll also be checking in there regularly."

   I don't know what timezone the support staff are in, but in my timezone (Eastern Standard Time), its already Monday the 28th. I thought staff were all over the world in different time zones, so someone would always be available to help at any time, 24/7.

   In any case, since support staff seem to be still currently unavailable for contact at this time, I have posted my issue here as directed.

   I would be very grateful if someone is able to help me, and I sincerely thank you for your time and your help! Hopefully some staff member will see this post also and help me.

4. raincoaster
   Member
   Nov 28, 2011, 10:44 AM

   No-one can help you but staff. Staff will be back on duty soon. Posting in the forums is unlikely to get you any assistance.

5. timethief
   Member
   Nov 28, 2011, 6:31 PM

   No we cannot block, unsubscribe or delete subscribers from public blogs. However, please read this about public blogs that become private blogs > Blog Privacy and Subscribers > http://wpcommaven.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/blog-privacy-and-subscribers/

   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.

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