What I’m reading: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
What’s on the iPod: All You Ever Do is Bring Me Down by The Mavericks
It’s funny what happens on a blog when you’re not looking. I went back over the comments added to this blog over the weekend, and I found myself doing something I don’t normally do.
I deleted a comment.
It took some thought and more than a little waffling on my part, but in the end, I made the right decision. The comment wasn’t one meant to invite discussion or further any. It was meant to drive traffic to this dude’s site.
I’m not against a little entrepreneurship and I don’t delete comments randomly to suit my own taste. If someone disagrees with me – even vehemently – it stays. But this dude’s comment was a link to his site, and in the one-sentence, eight-word comment there were errors. Worse, the link went to a blog post (let’s call it a pseudo-blog post because there was no indication this blog existed nine days ago), and in that post, the poster first agreed with something I’d written, then in the next paragraph took an opposing view to something he says I’d said – but it wasn’t anything I’d said at all. Worse, I’d never even thought those things. But there he was, using me and some trumped-up notion of what I’d been saying as his soapbox. Even more odd – he contradicted himself in his own post by saying that he believed we overcharge and should get used to the content farms of the world, but we need to be the ALPHA writer and charge more! Really?
My knee-jerk reaction was to comment back and correct him. But then I got the light-bulb moment. He wanted that. He wanted me to create a debate by responding, and he may have thought that I’d comment on my blog and send people to his blog to respond, thus creating traffic to that site. Problem with that – his site is oozing in commercialism. He wants to sell a book on copywriting. If getting people to that site by creating alternate realities is his marketing method, he’s got nothing I want to buy.
It was obvious his leaving his link here was meant to send people there, who would come back and alert me, etc., etc. I wonder if he planned on the comments disappearing?
I’m telling you about deleting the comment because I don’t want to keep anything from you. I don’t delete comments normally, and I loathe bloggers who think they’re judge-and-jury and delete what doesn’t mesh with their own ideas. So there you have it. I deleted a comment. Two, actually. This commenter left another one here, as well. Both led to the same place.
Have you seen this type of traffic-driving weirdness? Have you witnessed bloggers who delete negative comments? What’s your criteria for deleting a comment, if you’ve ever done so? How do you approach bloggers who do this regularly?
16 responses to “Censorship v. Common Sense”
Yeah, this guy hit my blog too. I think on some level he's simply naive. He calls himself a copywriter, but the copy on his site is atrocious. His blog posts don't make sense. His comments put words in people's mouths (like he did to you in his post and did to me in the comments here, implying I said writers shouldn't value their work — um, no).
He seems to be more of an Internet marketer, but one who's very out of date. These are the kinds of spam tactics most have grown beyond (if they weren't pushed out of the business). It's as if he woke up one day and said "I think I'll be a copywriter." Then he read a few old blog posts or listened to the reigning kings of Internet marketing spam and decided to base a business on it. Not smart, especially if you're going to spam a group that knows enough to call you out.
As for the links, I handle those comments in different ways. If it's a blatant spam comment — like "great post" or just a general statement that they agree or disagree with no commentary — I delete it. If they post a stupid comment that shows their own ignorance or inability to read, I let it through. I just reserve the right to remove any links in those cases. If they want to make themselves look like asses publicly, I'm all for it. I even left the links for this guy. They're no-follow anyway, and the comments were a bit less ridiculous on my site. I do plan to remove his access to my top commenters widget though so he isn't encouraged to continue for a do-follow link on the site.
I saw that fellow's comment, and rolled my eyes at his obvious attempt to get traffic.
Among the many copywriting and marketing blogs I visit, comment deletions are extremely rare. Among the theology blogs I visit, they are rampant in one particular camp. Some religious people simply can't tolerate dissent, especially if it comes from a woman. The funny part is they only delete the comments of women who are intelligent, articulate, and support an opposing point of view especially well. They don't delete comments of men who make the same arguments, and they don't delete the comments of women whose opposing arguments are angry or poorly constructed. Geez, insecure much? It's quite the circus.
Sometimes I add a link to my blog but only if there is valid reason for it. I admit to doing it often on Huffington Post because a lot of my input involved art or cartoons and that seemed legitimate. (And after what Arianna pulled, I don't feel so much regret.)
My blog is non-commercial anyway and that keeps me honest. (Besides my sterling character, of course!)
I have had to delete only a few comments. There was the…"I really love your blog. So interesting. Come and see my blog at…" That was flushed pretty quickly.
A lot of it depends on my mood. I normally don't tolerate stupid well but I can point the ignorant to my sources as a courtesy.
This technique that you outline in the post is really very clever (commenting, misquoting and ensnaring!) and I would have no doubt fallen for it hook, line and sinker.
I delete comments when their only purpose is to drive traffic to their own blog or marketing site, and usually the blog has nothing to do with what we've discussed on my blog, or is relevant at all to not just my interests, but is only out to part the reader from cash.
If someone's just stopping by to be a troll, I'll get rid of it, but that doesn't happen very often. Being a troll is different from disagreeing — I don't mind intelligently phrased disagreement and different points of view. I do mind simply parroting someone else's ideology because one is incapable of independent thought, or spreading rumors and false information when unable to back it up with legitimate sources.
If something is vicious or threatening, I turn it over to the cops, and let them make the call as to whether it should stand or be deleted.
When I'm wandering around reading blogs, it depends. If you're going to put your views out there, people will disagree. If you threaten to pack your toys and go home every time someone disagrees, you're not going to last very long out in cyber-world. There are too many different opinions. I comment less than I used to, and it's usually based on whether it's a blog I plan to visit again and develop a relationship with or not. Some blogs you find, you read, and you just move on, because it's not worth the energy for anything else.
Chalk it up to another spammer. They are getting more clever.Akismet on my WordPress blog is superb at catching spammers.
I always check the spam folder (in case there are legitimate comments in the folder). There have been some that I thought, hmmm, is this legit? but then I realize it's much what you described. They pick out your title or keywords and throw a comment out there to get their links.
Others are hysterical, like the ones that take an aggressive, ranting approach about how much they disagree. Really? My story about a dog that ended up 800 miles from home is so controversial? Good to know. 🙂
Eileen, wouldn't it be a great experiment to go in with a gender-neutral name, such as Terry or Chris, and leave comments? They wouldn't know what to do! LOL
Nomad, I wouldn't worry after what Arianna did, either. 🙂 And yes, with sterling character such as yours, I'd not doubt you. 🙂 I will say this – I've deleted similar comments to those you've mentioned and haven't thought twice. It's obvious spam. What troubled me about this one was the attempt to incite debate by posting two sides of the argument at the same time, and by putting words in my mouth. I hope this isn't the new face of spam. If so, how dangerous!
Cathy, that's a riot! One I got overnight was "I understand it not a related question, but does anyone recognize what form of software this (URL listed) site is applying? .I wanted to open a site just in the form of this, but I don't recognize what direction to go…"
He's so stealth! LOL
@Lori – Me and some friends have done that, and it drives them wild. Some bloggers even demand you reveal your sex to them before they'll "dialogue" with you further. It's really quite fun to watch them get their boxers in a twist.
And in an odd twist, both Jenn's and Devon's posts went into spam. Yet the crap gets through? I hate Blogger some days.
Jenn, I saw what you did. I think it's someone just starting out because his ideas are antiquated and all over the map. I too get a lot of spam comments. They get deleted without a second thought. These are comments posing any value to anyone.
Devon, sorry. Your comment went to spam today, as well. Blogger is acting more strangely than usual.
I agree. If the comments are useful, fine. If they're intended to stir up trouble, not fine. I don't get trolls here (not yet, anyway), but this guy has the earmarkings of someone who flirts with troll-ness.
And I totally agree – if I read a blog and I disagree, that's my problem. Moreover, if I disagree on every post, I don't go back. It's not for me.
Eileen, that's hilarious! They actually check? I would ask why it matters, but then again, these are people who aren't fighting fairly and they're living by their own rules in their own fiefdom. Begone, ye peasants! LOL
He's definitely all over the map — refers to himself as a "Web content writer turned Web copywriter turned Internet marketer." Ahhh, so that explains it.
That's a fairly common path for very low-rate Web writers. They start out with low paying advertised content writing gigs. They think that means they're automatically qualified to write Web copy (this guy's site proves otherwise in his case although some really can make the transition).
Then the "Internet marketing" label comes along when they think about how others are making money off their shoddy content and they figure they can do the same thing. Can't say exactly what this guy's thought process was, but it seems to have led him down a fairly predictable path.
Hi Lori.
Huh, I read the comments every day and seem to have missed this one. Drats!
But I respect your decision and even applaud it. Can't tell you how much I dislike underhanded marketing! If you can't sell your product through legit channels, what does that say about your product, dude?
Oh, I'm sure he'll be back, Gabriella. He's been here a few times already. You'll get to gawk and stare like the rest of us – I promise. 🙂
I must have missed him too. Finally an upside to being trapped working on that (seemingly) never-ending article.
I've seen him everywhere lately. But, I didn't know he was here. Darn! I can imagine what he's been saying, though. I usually just roll my eyes and move on when I read those comments on blogs.
It's annoying to see the "Sounds great!" responses, from some comment spammers,to posts where the blog author is talking about some horrible experience. You know they didn't bother to read it through, they're more interested in getting their links in.
I agree with Cathy – Askimet on WordPress seems to catch these on my blog with nearly 100% accuracy. And yes, I'm also bummed I didn't see this one – the commenter must have been on the rare day that I didn't catch your post.
I drop by here and Devon's blog every day because of the interesting content you guys provide. I don't usually read your comments or post my own. Couldn't resist it today though just to see what this guy was doing that was so wrong so I know what not to do.
Judging by your comments I don't think I could be that obvious or stupid (I hope)
Thanks for the interesting read
Fi
LOL! Fi, you're fine. I appreciate you coming here and interacting. What this guy was doing was showing up, posting comments that said something like he was discussing this very thing on his blog (and of course leaving a link). When I clicked on the link, I was hit with a loud, eye-assaulting page trying to sell his e-book. Not that it's a crime, but it shows someone who's not interested in interacting in a REAL way. Then he started leaving contradictory comments, and links to his "blog." I clicked. He argued both sides of an argument and used the phrase "What Lori wanted to say…." and then went on to assume he knew my thoughts, which clearly he didn't.
So yea, you're fine. 🙂
Michelle, I'm sure he'll be back. You'll get your chance. :))