Have you ever NOT approved a comment?

[BustyDeLaGhetto]

One of my recent posts has prompted a comment from a new viewer who - in my opinion - has willfully misread what I have written, and used it to promote his own skewed views.

He has commented on it, which I have yet to approve. I don't want to, because in doing so I feel that I would have to respond to what he is saying, and I don't want to engage in debate about it as my views are suitably different to his.
Similarly, if I ignore his comment I worry that I may provoke further discourse which of course I could choose to ignore also.

Has anyone else had this ?

[katese11]

hmm, tough one ....the only comments I don't approve are spam ones but the only time I had a critical comment (of my irresponsible parenting, not my writing) I did respond to it. But in your case i'd be tempted to block it

[BustyDeLaGhetto]

Yes, those are my thoughts too katese11 - it's not critical, more inflammatory. You can see all he's done is taken the post out of context, probably just from the title. It doesn't look as though he's actually read the article, which contains references to how the theme music of Coronation Street sounds as like a man going to drown a sackful of puppies, just taken the title and run with it.

[Thisisaeuphemism]

I would be tempted to ignore. I know it's not fair as such, but hey...

[BertieBotts]

You don't have to have free speech on your blog Wonderful thing about being able to pre-approve comments!

[addictedismoving]

I had a comment which I thought was rude and possibly damaging to other readers of my blog. I didn't particularly want a debate on my blog and the commentor was anonymous and a close friend (from what they had written I knew who they were)

I deleted the comment, deleted her from my friend list and blocked her from my page. Life is too short. As Bertie says your blog your rules. Free speach isn't mandatory.

[TeeElfOnTeeShelf]

I would mark it as SPAM and ignore it.

I've let, frankly, very rude comments onto my blog and not responded to them, but something like that, where he hasn't even read it? It might actually be a SPAM bot.

[BustyDeLaGhetto]

Thanks all, I have ignored it. It was relevant to the post, but not to the content if that makes sense.

The post itself was about how, as a seven year old girl I'd tried to involve my Jehovah's Witness friend into the Christmas build-up because I thought she simply didn't like it enough. He responded with some piffle about cults and how they are a dangerous organisation. I just thought he was deliberately misunderstanding to make a particularly dull point.

[Thisisaeuphemism]

Ah, I was just about to ask what you decided to do.

Good call, I reckon.

[TeeElfOnTeeShelf]

I read that post Busty, it was good!

[BustyDeLaGhetto]

Thanks Tee glad you enjoyed it. I really was baffled as to her reluctance to do anything Christmassy - I even played her a Christmas tape on my little boombox although thinking about it, that would put anyone off.

Thats why this guy seemed so lame, just banging on about cults. I thought 'Have you READ what I've written or are you just fishing this site for keywords. Maybe over the next few posts I'll slip in the word 'Jehovah' again and see if he pops up.

[overmydeadbody]

I've had comments where people are only posting to promote their own blog. I don't aprove those and usually block the person from leaving more comments.


I'd say in your case don't approve the comment.

Sometimes I edit comments before approving them. Usually to correct spelling or grammar as I want my blog to be neat and tidy.

[Bex66]

On one of my blogs I get a lot of spammers and I never approve them

[YoungDebbie]

Oh God, yes, your blog is YOUR blog and it's totally under your control! Never let comments be posted up without your moderating them first! It undermines the credibility and quality of your blog if you let any old berk bang on about what they like. (That's MY job, tee hee.) Some of these comments are silly spam and completely transparent. Others are dangerous and hurtful. For example, my daughter and my husband are both insulin-dependent, type 1 diabetics. Without their daily insulin injections and blood tests they would die. I've had comments on posts in which I've mentioned their condition where some would-be salesman has claimed he can sell me a guaranteed cure. Erm, there isn't one. If there was, we'd have bought it and they'd be cured by now. End of. Comments like that go STRAIGHT to trash without any twinge of conscience on my part. If they want to make that sort of comment unchecked, they can jolly well write their own blog! Ha!

[BustyDeLaGhetto]

YoungDebbie That's outrageous! Not to mention dangerous. These snake oil salesmen must trawl through posts just using certain tags and search terms.
Its never happened to me before so I was a bit unsure of how to proceed, but you're right your blog is your own. Thank heaven for Pre-Approving Posts

[DidYouPackThePassport]

I have no qualms about trashing any spam that evades the filter, or trolls who have no interest in discussion beyond their own agenda. I've written posts that have occasionally courted controversy, but once commenters overstep the mark (personal insults, death threats) they relinquish their option to take part in the dialogue.