How to fix the comment spam problem!

I’m thinking out loud that someone must have thought of this already, but I reckon their should be an option in blog software to classify a post for contribution.

What I mean is, sometimes I post stuff, that has no contribution value, as in, it’s just a link, or a repost, so I don’t expect anything more than a trackback, so I would like to check a little box to say, “Dont’ allow comments on just this post”.

And when I do allow comments, I want it to be from someone I have a right of reply to. So what the system should do is say, “Give me your email address just once”. It should then send that person a authentication email to say, “Are you who you say you are, and if you leave a comment, and the author wants to contact you to discuss, can they do so on this email address”. And if they click the little link, it updates a cookie saying this person is legit. Now, if you like anonymous comments, that’s fine, but this ensures your not anonymous to the author. Why would you want to be anonymous to the author? I can’t really understand. I mean, if you want to leave a comment, you should expect the author may want to follow that comment up. You should still have the option of telling the blogging software that, while I am who I claim to be, and can be contacted on this email, I don’t want you broadcasting that to anyone and everyone, just to the blog author. That way, comments can become meaningful conversations, and the spammers will be resolved once and for all.

I just really want a way to engage those people who are truly adding value through comments in an easy and frictionless way, and discourage the spammers or the lamo’s who leave those annoying “I know you are but what am I” comments.

Anyone seen this kind of functionality around?

Comments

• Anonymous
  May 08, 2006
  The comment has been removed
• Anonymous
  May 08, 2006
  I use the Google Webservice to look up comments before adding them. If Google returns a certain amount of searchresults for the exact same comment, you can be almost sure this is the work of a bot.
  I havent had any comment and guestbook spam ever since I added this filter to a website.
• Anonymous
  May 09, 2006
  Does the MS blog software already have this? I mean I am already logged in, and there is a login system on these blogs for visitors. Or I guess I am not understanding your question or want. Which would be nice to know since I am working on a new open source bloging system in asp.net right now. I have given a lot of thought to the comment spam problem as well but I am not quite clear on what you are after or suggesting.