Comments on: Comment spam: using Backtype to spot it http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/comment-spam-spotting/ Where to find Malcolm Coles, reviews, and tips on how to do things I couldn't do. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:15:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Freelance Unbound» Blog Archive » WordPress plugins I use http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/comment-spam-spotting/#comment-7126 Freelance Unbound» Blog Archive » WordPress plugins I use Tue, 12 Jan 2010 08:24:58 +0000 http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/?p=3537#comment-7126 [...] – Essential anti-spammage, no matter that it has its critics. Comes as [...] [...] – Essential anti-spammage, no matter that it has its critics. Comes as [...]

]]> By: Blogging: Comment Spam Prevention « onecoolsitebloggingtips.com http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/comment-spam-spotting/#comment-7073 Blogging: Comment Spam Prevention « onecoolsitebloggingtips.com Sun, 10 Jan 2010 04:58:55 +0000 http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/?p=3537#comment-7073 [...] Malcolm Coles is using Backtype to spot comment spam. [...] [...] Malcolm Coles is using Backtype to spot comment spam. [...]

]]> By: Freelance Unbound http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/comment-spam-spotting/#comment-6626 Freelance Unbound Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:04:54 +0000 http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/?p=3537#comment-6626 The decider for me is not where the comment came from, nor if it's blatently pimping some product, service or site, but whether it seems to be written by a real person and refers directly to the content in the post. As Randy suggests, maybe some blog owners do spend a lot of time trawling the web for blogs they can comment on. If so, that's actually fine by me, as long as they stay on topic. The decider for me is not where the comment came from, nor if it's blatently pimping some product, service or site, but whether it seems to be written by a real person and refers directly to the content in the post.

As Randy suggests, maybe some blog owners do spend a lot of time trawling the web for blogs they can comment on. If so, that's actually fine by me, as long as they stay on topic.

]]> By: Randy http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/comment-spam-spotting/#comment-6623 Randy Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:31:22 +0000 http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/?p=3537#comment-6623 Thanks Malcom, As a fellow blog owner, I know filtering spam is no easy task. And while I do like the Backtype service, I'm not sure it can effectively tell the whole story of a commentors history. For instance Miles, Dennis, and Bob all are associates of mine who spend a lot of time (more than they should) surfing the web and subsequently leaving comments on blogs. So from an outsider looking at the Backtype surfer, you would think this is all spam, which in fact is not. As a general rule for me, I simply let in quality comments "--IF--" their name with the link is not obvious spam like "JIM coffee cups for the mocha machine" I simply don't have the time to dig down into the commenters history to give them a quality rating. Anyway, I like your blog and will keep reading. BR Randy Thanks Malcom,

As a fellow blog owner, I know filtering spam is no easy task. And while I do like the Backtype service, I'm not sure it can effectively tell the whole story of a commentors history. For instance Miles, Dennis, and Bob all are associates of mine who spend a lot of time (more than they should) surfing the web and subsequently leaving comments on blogs. So from an outsider looking at the Backtype surfer, you would think this is all spam, which in fact is not.

As a general rule for me, I simply let in quality comments "--IF--" their name with the link is not obvious spam like "JIM coffee cups for the mocha machine" I simply don't have the time to dig down into the commenters history to give them a quality rating.

Anyway, I like your blog and will keep reading.

BR

Randy

]]> By: Malcolm Coles http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/comment-spam-spotting/#comment-6622 Malcolm Coles Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:20:35 +0000 http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/?p=3537#comment-6622 Randy - I have to confess I forgot what your original comment was. The reason I'd thought it was spam as there seemed to be several people leaving comments with a link to your site with Crusher as the surname (Miles Crusher, Dennis Crusher, Bob Crusher etc). I take your point about the link being a reasonabe exchange for the comment, but I guess it depends how the site owner can reasonably evaluate what is and isn't spam. Anyway, I'll update the bit above to say you've replied... Randy - I have to confess I forgot what your original comment was. The reason I'd thought it was spam as there seemed to be several people leaving comments with a link to your site with Crusher as the surname (Miles Crusher, Dennis Crusher, Bob Crusher etc). I take your point about the link being a reasonabe exchange for the comment, but I guess it depends how the site owner can reasonably evaluate what is and isn't spam. Anyway, I'll update the bit above to say you've replied...

]]> By: Randy http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/comment-spam-spotting/#comment-6621 Randy Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:05:46 +0000 http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/?p=3537#comment-6621 You mentioned my site and comment in this post. Crushandshred.com. I have an interesting take on what you are talking about here. I think you are missing one aspect of how you define spam which is the quality of the comment. I actually only leave comments on post/blogs that I read. Thus, the comments I leave "ADD TO THE DISCUSSION" which means they are not spam. Now, if I'm going to take the time to post a comment which helps the blog owner, in return it is nice for a backlink. It is like helping your neighbor take out the trash, and in return he offers you a beer. Too many sites are filtering out quality comments which are useful to the other readers. That is too bad for both parties. BR Randy You mentioned my site and comment in this post. Crushandshred.com.

I have an interesting take on what you are talking about here. I think you are missing one aspect of how you define spam which is the quality of the comment. I actually only leave comments on post/blogs that I read. Thus, the comments I leave "ADD TO THE DISCUSSION" which means they are not spam.

Now, if I'm going to take the time to post a comment which helps the blog owner, in return it is nice for a backlink.
It is like helping your neighbor take out the trash, and in return he offers you a beer.

Too many sites are filtering out quality comments which are useful to the other readers. That is too bad for both parties.

BR

Randy

]]> By: deralaand http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/comment-spam-spotting/#comment-6178 deralaand Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:15:30 +0000 http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/?p=3537#comment-6178 about Askimet...This is why I found this post. Recently Askimet has kinda dropped the ball for me. I have seen obvious duplicate comment spam waiting for approval. You would think that Askimet would recognize the old "identical comment on multiple posts" tactic...and it does, to some degree. But, obviously not to my satisfaction (hence...the search) I would like to thank Malcom for pointing me towards BackType. It has given me some good info to post about. Thank you! about Askimet...This is why I found this post.
Recently Askimet has kinda dropped the ball for me. I have seen obvious duplicate comment spam waiting for approval. You would think that Askimet would recognize the old "identical comment on multiple posts" tactic...and it does, to some degree. But, obviously not to my satisfaction (hence...the search)
I would like to thank Malcom for pointing me towards BackType. It has given me some good info to post about.
Thank you!

]]> By: Freelance Unbound http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/comment-spam-spotting/#comment-6147 Freelance Unbound Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:24:09 +0000 http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/?p=3537#comment-6147 Or just let Akismet sort it out. I've found so few false positives or negatives that I only give a cursory check to the moderation queue now... Or just let Akismet sort it out. I've found so few false positives or negatives that I only give a cursory check to the moderation queue now...

]]> By: richardbaxterseo http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/comment-spam-spotting/#comment-6135 richardbaxterseo Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:00:51 +0000 http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/?p=3537#comment-6135 I love posts about spam - especially the blatent stuff like this. More of, please! I love posts about spam - especially the blatent stuff like this. More of, please!

]]> By: Rhys http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/comment-spam-spotting/#comment-6133 Rhys Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:56:12 +0000 http://www.malcolmcoles.co.uk/blog/?p=3537#comment-6133 Great post! :P I'm tempted to switch to backtype, a lot of people rave about it, so I may give it a shot myself (I like the tweetback feature). Comment spammers are getting harder to spot. I almost let a comment through who commented under the name "Teenager's Ex". Even her domain name read Teenager's ex dot com. However, when you put it together in one word, without spacing or punctuation, it was obvious what the domain name actually was targetting. Great post! :P

I'm tempted to switch to backtype, a lot of people rave about it, so I may give it a shot myself (I like the tweetback feature).

Comment spammers are getting harder to spot. I almost let a comment through who commented under the name "Teenager's Ex". Even her domain name read Teenager's ex dot com. However, when you put it together in one word, without spacing or punctuation, it was obvious what the domain name actually was targetting.

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