Skip to main content

Google+ Comments Are Open To Everybody

One source of occasional confusion, seen in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue, is about Google+ and the lack of control.

We have discussed the lack of commenting moderation options - but that's just a small part of what you don't get.
Under Settings, then Posts and comments, I don't have the same choices as shown.
This blog owner is used to the array of comment settings, that seem natural, to somebody using Blogger comments.

With Google+ comments, you get one setting, under "Posts and comments" - Comments.

Comment Location

Everything else is part of Google+, and stream behaviour.

Anybody who can see the blog can publish a comment.

Besides the lack of moderation options, the lack of control over who can comment can be disconcerting. With Google+ Comments, anybody, who has an Exciting Google+ account, can comment - just as in the Google+ stream, anybody can post anything they wish.

Unless you, the blog owner, are in a Circle that's addressed by a commenter, you won't even see a non Public comment - even if your blog is mentioned. This leads to more confusion.

Why does the comment count go up for this post - even with no comments visible?

Google+ will count comments that you may not get to see. This too can be disconcerting. Anybody can comment, on your blog - and you can't see the comments. Comment moderation is left to the people who can see the comments.

Google+ Comments only work for public blogs.

But there's a more intriguing oddity. We are told to use Google+ for distribution of private blog posts - but you cannot use Google+ Comments on a private blog.

Google+ hosted comments only work, with public blogs. With a private blog, you use Google+ to distribute the posts - but you can only use Blogger hosted comments.

Since automatic post sharing only works for Public shares, you have to manually share each post - so you can select the appropriate Circles to view each individual post.

If you have a private blog, your readers can discuss your blog posts, in their streams - but nothing will show up on the blog. And, they can view the blog - and possibly comment there - but nothing will show up in their streams.

Comments

Lucie said…
Wow, as a senior citizen I am not very computer literate. My question is regarding "Unless you, the blog owner, are in a Circle that's addressed by a commenter, you won't even see a non Public comment - even if your blog is mentioned. This leads to more confusion."

I am new to Google+, is it okay I won't see non Public comments? I add people to my Circle for sharing purposes. I don't know if I am in their circle and I stay away from "Hangout" because I am not sure who I would be hanging out with. If I were a senior relative of yours, what would you suggest for settings.
Nitecruzr said…
Lucien,

I equate Google+ to the world, in general. You don't know - nor do you want to know - what other people say about you, when not said in front of you.

Some folks may address you by what they see - maybe somebody sees you walking down the street, wearing your hat - and later discusses your hat that they saw. You will, probably, never hear that conversation.

And so go Google+ streams. You do not want everybody's stream included in yours. Just enjoy contact with the folks that you know - and occasionally, add somebody new to your Circles.

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2014/01/visibility-of-google-comments-is.html
Arthur said…
If we can't see what's commented and it may be something you'd be better off not knowing about, and it's YOUR blog, why can't we just get rid of the comment? We don't want other people influencing other people in a bad way towards the blogger.
Nitecruzr said…
Hi Arthur,

It's a freedom of speech issue, not a politeness issue.

People are allowed to say what they wish, to your face - or behind your back. There is no law, or rule, that requires someone to say something - even when mentioning you, by name - to your face.

Ditto Google+ stream posts that mention your blog. Even if a post is public, how likely is it that you are Following the person who comments - even when they mention your blog?

If your name is mentioned in a newspaper article, does the newspaper send you a free copy of the paper - or even a clipping?

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2014/01/visibility-of-google-comments-is.html

Popular posts from this blog

Adding A Link To Your Blog Post

Occasionally, you see a very odd, cryptic complaint I just added a link in my blog, but the link vanished! No, it wasn't your imagination.

Embedded Comments And Main Page View

The option to display comments, embedded below the post, was made a blog option relatively recently. This was a long requested feature - and many bloggers added it to their blogs, as soon as the option was presented to us. Some blog owners like this feature so much, that they request it to be visible when the blog is opened, in main page view. I would like all comments, and the comment form, to be shown underneath the relevant post, automatically, for everyone to read without clicking on the number of comments link. And this is not how embedded comments work.

What's The URL Of My Blog?

We see the plea for help, periodically I need the URL of my blog, so I can give it to my friends. Help! Who's buried in Grant's Tomb, after all? No Chuck, be polite. OK, OK. The title of this blog is "The Real Blogger Status", and the title of this post is "What's The URL Of My Blog?".