To block a growing flood of bogus, spam-like submissions, WSU Today has updated its procedure for submitting article comments – a feature available at the end of all WSU Today articles.
More than 800 valid comments to articles have been provided by readers in the last several months via the WSU Today website. However, 7,740 spam submissions also have been received. Each one has had to be handled individually, with false submissions often requiring blocking.
The new comment procedure is still very quick and simple to utilize. Readers submitting a response need only click the “comment” or “reply” button, then fill out three fields: user name, valid e-mail address and the comment.
Once the comment is submitted, a link will be e-mailed to the address provided to confirm the validity of that e-mail address. When you click that link, the comment will be posted to the site for moderation by our website administrators.
For genuine readers, this is a “one-time” process. Once a reader has responded and confirmed a valid e-mail address, they will no longer will have to go through the confirmation process to submit a comment.
Similar confirmation procedures have been adopted by newspapers and media websites nationwide for similar reasons and to help better moderate inappropriate comments.
WSU Today welcomes your comments and insights, and invites you to test the new comment system.
Also, feel free to click the “Submit Idea” button in the tool bar at the top of the page and let us know how we might improve WSU Today to better meet your needs. Or check us out and become a friend on our Facebook and Twitter.
Thanks from the WSU Today staff for allowing us to serve you.