Comment spam is unwanted advertising posted by bots. Use spam filters and IP banning software to combat it without inconveniencing readers. If it continues, require registration or use CAPTCHAs, but consider the cost of losing commenters. Stay up to date with software updates to prevent security holes.
If you run a website that is open to user comments, you may have to deal with comment spam at some point. It can be extremely annoying but fortunately, there are several techniques that can be used to combat it. Ideally, you can come up with a solution that filters out most of your comment spam without bothering your readers. You might think about integrating different techniques to stop spammers from different angles.
Before we dive into ways to combat comment spam, it can help to know what it is. In essence, it is an unwanted comment that is used to advertise a product or website; such comments are usually posted by a bot, rather than an actual human, and can add up alarmingly quickly. Some spammers also use trackback spam to get ahead, as trackbacks can be used to spread links to their sites.
The first step you can take is to use a spam filter. Many blogging platforms have built-in spam filters, and you can adjust the aggressiveness of the filter or create a keyword list for moderation. Comment spam often includes gibberish, references to prescription drugs, and other obvious keywords that normal commenters don’t use. You’ve set up a spam filter that automatically deletes messages or holds questionable messages for approval before posting.
You can also use an IP banning software. Several companies have created so-called “blacklists” of IPs which are regularly used for spam and you can block these people from accessing your site or leaving comments. Many website administration tools allow you to manually block specific IP addresses; you can also use this tool for trolls and other hateful commenters.
Both of these measures are designed to combat comment spam without inconveniencing your readers. If comment spam continues to be a problem, you can move on to more assertive measures. Some site owners, for example, put all comments on moderation, which means that every comment has to be manually approved before it can be posted. While this forces legitimate comments to be held until you have a chance to look at your comments, it also allows you to stop disastrous comment threads before they get serious, which can be a plus. You can also close comments and trackbacks on old posts, giving spammers less material to work with.
If you feel that these measures have not been effective, you may need to resort to techniques that require your users to jump through some hoops. One technique is logging; you can require all users to register before posting comments, which can reduce the amount of spam it filters. You can also use a CAPTCHA, a tool that challenges every commenter. For example, a CAPTCHA could be a word hidden within an image; a real person can find the word and type it into a confirmation box, while a spamming bot cannot. However, CAPTCHAs are a serious barrier for users with disabilities, and if you choose to use a CAPTCHA, you should consider installing a workaround for users with disabilities.
If you use tools like registration and CAPTCHAs, you will unfortunately lose some commenters. Some people are uncomfortable with signing up, while other people aren’t inclined to comment if they should engage in the process. Also, these tools are not guaranteed insurance against comment spam, so you should carefully weigh the costs and benefits.
New measures are always emerging to combat comment spam; If you use a specific type of software to manage your website, stay tuned for developer notes and software updates. As well as giving you access to new features, notes and updates will also keep your version of the software up to date, ensuring that malicious people and software cannot target the security holes that are inevitably eventually found in every software release.
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