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Don't Just Delete Spam Comments - Label Them

We've had the new comment moderation system for since 2010.

Some people are just a bit confused by the filter training process.

We see signs of confusion, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.
I've been deleting the spam, but it keeps coming. How do I get the spam filtered?

You get the spam filtered by persistently moderating, and training, the spam filters. That's the short answer.

Moderation, and Filter Training, starts from the Comments wizard.

There are three folders shown, in the wizard.
  1. Awaiting Moderation. These comments are neither published, or spam. If you moderate, this is where most comments will be displayed.
  2. Published. This is a mirror of the comments displayed on the blog, and being viewed by your blog's readers.
  3. Spam.
    • Comments that have been automatically placed there, by the trained spam filters.
    • Comments which you have labeled as Spam, either before published ("Awaiting Moderation"), or after publishing ("Published").

If you want the spam to be filtered, and end up in the Spam folder, automatically, you have to train the filters.
  1. Look in the "Awaiting Moderation", and "Published", folders.
  2. Tick the box, beside each spam comment.
  3. Once all spam comments on the page have been ticked, hit the "Spam" button.
  4. Look in the Spam folder, and smile.

If you want specific comments to simply not be visible to your readers (without changing their spam status), you delete them.
  1. Look in the "Awaiting Moderation", and "Published", folders.
  2. Tick the box, beside each non desired comment.
  3. Once all non desired comments on the page have been ticked, hit the "Delete" button.
  4. Done.

Don't confuse the "Delete" and "Spam" buttons - they are not the same. And, if you are using comment email to moderate, use the right comment email - and use select the right choices in the comment moderation email.

Comments

Cindy O said…
When comments are in the Spam folder, should I leave them there forever? Or delete them? I'd prefer to delete, but I don't know if that affects the filtering.
And thanks for your blog! Great explanations and advice that really have helped me.
Marie Lancaster said…
test - doing as you suggested and commenting on your blog as I can't comment on another blog.
Rlx said…
Thanks for the tips,i will try your suggestions.
Small Kucing said…
One reader have been spamming rude sexual comments in my blog. I hv marked the comments as spam . They did went to the spam folder which i delete as per advice. But new comments kept getting through. They went to my awaiting moderation folder since I have enabled comments moderation. I wish there is a way I can block or report this person in order to Google to take action.

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