Normally I use this site for flash fiction and poetry. Blogging I leave to my other web site, but there was a question asked here on WP that I thought I should address.

I was asked by someone who said they had a similar site how I keep the spam down on this site. If there was some sort of plug-in or something. I’m not real savvy with some of the finer points of using a website, I manage through it like some of us by trial and error and asking for help. And spam is a problem. I have two websites. The other one is older and I have found that those who wish to spam like to find the oldest post and put their innocent comment on it. They are very nice. “I like this poem. It speaks to me.” Or some such phrase. But behind it, on the name of the poster, if you click on that name it will take you to some site that is either selling something or porn.

I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they do like my poetry or my flash fiction, but when you have the option NOT to attach your website link to your name I tend to question the reason for the post. Do you like my writing or are you just trying to advertise your site? With the porn sites I assume the later so I delete them and mark them as spam and/or block them.

So with this in mind I clicked on the name of the commenter (I think that is right) and yes they were selling something in a different country. After using google translate I figured out what it was and it seems harmless. No porn anyways. lol WP has the ability to set the comments up where I have to approve the comments or not. Once approved they can post comments to their hearts content. So do I take the chance that the question is a legitimate one, that this person really does like my writing, or do I treat it as spam and report it?

I know people have a right to sell things on the internet. I do. My books. And there are others who comment on my posts that do the same thing and their names link back to their sites as does mine when I comment on their sites. But where do you draw the line? When do you take the chance, approve the comment and pray that that person doesn’t spam the crap out of your site?

Everyone has different ideas on this subject so any insight would be welcomed. 🙂