Automatically disable link parsing in comments?
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I have searched both forums and FAQs for ‘link moderate’ and ‘link disable’ and ‘comment link.’
It seems that the only way to prevent linking spam is to moderate all comments?
This is kind of clumsy. Why not simply disable the automatic parsing of http://URLs into hyperlinks? (In addition to not allowing the raw HTML, which I believe is already in place.)
Strangely, this is what happens when I write a main post: the http://URLs are not automatically parsed into hyperlinks. But in a comment: http://URL = active hyperlink.
Currently, I like to allow visitors to post hyperlinks. But if this becomes a problem, I would like to shut it off. The visitor can still post the URL information for anyone interested. It just will not parse to a ‘hyperlink.’ Thus: still freedom for good information, but no incentive to attract search engine credits.
I am surprised, it seems this can not be done automatically. This means that manual moderation might be needed long before it might otherwise be necessary. Am I mistaken? Thank you, anyone.
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Not for the first time tonight a forum volunteer must tell you that the solution you seek is already in place and much discussed on the forum already. Are you having difficulty locating the Search function?
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This is kind of clumsy. Why not simply disable the automatic parsing of http://URLs into hyperlinks? (In addition to not allowing the raw HTML, which I believe is already in place.)
/nod to raincoaster
I have requested that this blogger contact staff directly with his ideas and explained the three ways to do that in this thread https://en.forums.wordpress.com/topic.php?id=10808&page&replies=8#post-79400He doesn’t seem to be able to understand that staff create policy and that volunteers answering questions on the forum do not.
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Disabling links will not stop comment spam.
They work in volume – http://akismet.com/stats – and that is just those blogs akismet protects. The global issue is way beyond just stopping links. -
Considering most of those comments would be caught by Akismet and place in your Akismet queue instead of winding up on your blog, I don’t see what the issue/question is.
Sounds more like the poster is in the wrong place though. “Currently, I like to allow visitors to post hyperlinks” makes me think they’re hosted not here at wordpress.com but at a different hoster. if that is so, they need to be over at http://wordpress.org as that’s the software support site. We have Akismet built in here and we’re not seeing what your appear to be seeing.
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Thank you, Dr. Mike. My blog is hosted here. It is for friends and associates–and maybe making a few friends–refining my opinions via feedback–and open to all, but not intended to be popular. Although internet fluent, I want the freedom to ignore a blog for weeks, and most would agree that frequent blogging is unhealthy. But also–I know that when I post a ‘comment,’ I love to see it posted. Thus, for my own visitors, I do not wish to moderate until necessary. Maybe your blogs are popular, so you may not understand my low-volume situation…? Also maybe after I try Akismet I will find it is ten times more precise than email spam filters…? But, I seem to recall reading that Akismet counts the number of links. Sometimes, a serious post is almost entirely composed of valid references. I.e.:
A. I prefer that half my comments be spam, which I can easily delete later–rather than one honest comment be kept waiting for a week.
B. Perhaps you do not know about SEO but–if a link is simply not parsed into an active hyperlink, there is no SEO value. Thus, no serious incentive for spam. So, I could not care less if someone has 10 links, so long as not parsed… and generally… they often will not bother if not parsed.
Please note that Wikipedia effectively uses ‘forwarding-parses’ for this same non-SEO effect.
Also see the leading SEO site: http://HighRankings.com (Not my site.)If you still ‘do not understand’ my concern, no need to reply. You have answered the main question: WordPress.COM does not have the option to ‘not parse comment URLs into hyperlinks.’ Too bad, but not a big deal. Thank you very much!
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A quick check shows that just plain URLs within a comment to get tranlated into active links. Do note though that rel=”external nofollow” does get added to the links so that shouldn’t be counting as an active link to the search engines.
And, no I’m not an expert on SEO but I do have 2,800 paying clients on my own hosting company as well as the US’ 3rd largest *cough* adult content provider (if you catch my meaning) so I at least give it lipservice. :)
We’ve actually discussed the nofollow and comment spam here a few times over. Akismet is usually pretty good with catching almost all comment spam and it really shouldn’t be an issue. Some search engine spiders like MSN and Yahoo appear to ignore the nofollow tag but there’s not a whole lot you can do with that.
Somethings you can do though if I read your posts correctly:
– You have a setting at Dashboard -> Options -> Discussion -> Comment Moderation concerning links. I would suggest setting that to zero as then it would be disabled and, again as I read your posts here, you don’t want the number of links counted as a spam flag. Either that or set it fairly high like 25.
– You can turn off moderation for comments at the same page by unchecking the box labeled “An administrator must always approve the comment.” What I would do though instead is check the boxes labeled “Anyone posts a comment” as well as “A comment is held for moderation.” That way you do get an email when someone does make an actual comment and just in case if a comment does get held for moderation if Akismet can’t deside for sure. (Which does happen on occasion)
Hope this helps,
-drmike -
Thank you Dr. Mike. Extremely helpful. (I did see those settings, but not so clearly how to use them.)
rel=”external nofollow” often discussed at SEO forums.
1. As you say: has questionable effect on search engines. (But maybe this is changing.)
2. I want to give SEO credits. Website owners work hard, are knowledgable, and want SEO credits. I want them to contribute. In return, I owe them that much. There is a line to draw between spam control and being stingy.One more issue not yet mentioned: just getting the ‘username link’ can bring powerful SEO credits. I know this from my SEO work. So hypothetically–‘maybe’ this is partly why as Mark said: “Disabling links will not stop comment spam.” So I know that disabling links in messages is not fully effective–but it does something and is a popular option.
Perhaps the ideal: ‘temporarily disable username link.’ (And/or comment links.)
IE–the comment will post immediately–the username will be a hyperlink–but AFTER ONE WEEK. Meanwhile, moderator can ‘disapprove’. Also a database that, once a domain name or IP address is ‘disapproved’ several times, will NOT parse unless specifically approved. I would suspect Akismet already has a similar database. But as I have implied–I would prefer an option to post comments immediately, with Akismet flags and parse-delays only–instead of holding for moderation.(But, just an idea I can survive without. Also, I assume it is not appropriate for me to bother the WP administration directly with these ideas until more experienced. Even then, I assume that is what the ‘ideas’ forum is for. Maybe later.)
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In all honesty, these are WordPress concerns, not WordPress.com concerns.
Best bet would be to discuss it over at http://wordpress.org or on the wp-hackers mail list as you’re wanting to change the basic operation of the wordpress software.
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Right. Sorry to digress. WordPress.COM has nonetheless been a quantum leap above all previous experience with free webpages. This knowledge, even the limitations, has been extremely informative. Thanks to Mike, TimeThief, Raincoaster and all. Sorry that I was in a push to get started. Hope to stay awhile… but don’t worry my forum questions are done…!
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