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I Apologize in Advance for the Comment Form Checkbox

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If you’re one of the few who attempt to leave a legitimate comment here, you’re going to notice a comment form checkbox now.

I’ve had it with spam comments lately. In fact, in the past few weeks alone this blog received more than 225 comments that I had to trash. I don’t know that I received 225 comments in all of 2023. So you’ll now see something new: a little test on the comment form.

Many of these spam comments contained links to adult content. Many contained commercial links. Some contained no links but their writers appeared to be writing some generic compliment in the hopes of getting through any setting that might allow future comments after a web user approves an initial comment.

I’ve implemented a comment plugin called WPDiscuz. Misspelling forgiven, its primary function seems to be to improve the aesthetics of your sites comment form. Well, that’s nice, of course. But it doesn’t solve the main issue. However, WPDiscuz integrates with Google’s ReCAPTCHA service.

I know what you’re thinking. CAPTCHA? No way! Well, that’s what I’ve thought about most CAPTCHA forms I’ve seen. .

If you’ve never seen it, CAPTCHA stands for Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. It consists of those annoying little tests like typing a letter combination from twisted typefaces or clicking however many of nine cubes contain, for instance, a bicycle or a bridge, and then clicking submit. Presumably, a human can complete the task. A spambot cannot.

To leave a comment, you must now check a box that confirms you’re a human. It’s as simple as that. You don’t have to decipher mangled letters. You don’t have to solve a picture puzzle. It’s one checkbox.

You don’t have to register or log in to anything. You leave your name and email (and website if you have one) and click the box.

Yes, it’s one more expenditure of effort and I’m sorry to put you through it. But I’m hoping that one extra, simple step will keep spambots away so you don’t accidentally stumble on something none of us want here!

the authorPatrick
Patrick is a Christian with more than 30 years experience in professional writing, producing and marketing. His professional background also includes social media, reporting for broadcast television and the web, directing, videography and photography. He enjoys getting to know people over coffee and spending time with his dog.
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Just thought I’d check out the comment form to make sure it works!