Stopping Spam on Wordpress

There are several ways to stop spam on a WordPress website:

  1. Use an anti-spam plugin: There are several anti-spam plugins available for WordPress, such as Akismet, Antispam Bee, and Spam Fighter, that can automatically filter out spam comments.
  2. Use a CAPTCHA: A CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) is a tool that can be used to ensure that comments are being submitted by real humans and not bots.
  3. Manually approve comments: This method involves manually reviewing and approving each comment before it is posted on the website.
  4. Use Comment Moderation: This method allows you to set up filters for comments such as holding comments for moderation if they contain certain keywords or phrases.
  5. Use reCAPTCHA v3: It is a new version of reCAPTCHA that allows you to filter out spam comments without requiring users to complete a challenge.
  6. Limit comments to registered users: This method limits commenting to only registered users, which can help reduce spam comments.
  7. Use the 'nofollow' attribute: This method adds the nofollow attribute to links in comments, which can deter spammers from leaving comments on your site.

It's important to note that no single method is foolproof, and a combination of these strategies may be necessary to effectively reduce spam on a WordPress site.

Why not just use reCAPTCHA?

While reCAPTCHA can be an effective tool for reducing spam on a WordPress website, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution.

ReCAPTCHA is a tool that helps to protect websites from spam and abuse by requiring users to prove that they are human. However, it can be frustrating for some users, as they may have to complete a challenge or puzzle to prove that they are not a bot. This can lead to a poor user experience.

Also, reCAPTCHA is not effective in all cases, spammers can use sophisticated methods to bypass it. For example, using bots that are programmed to solve the puzzles or using VPNs to change their IP addresses.

It's also worth noting that using reCAPTCHA can also be a burden on the website's server, since it requires a connection to Google's servers to work.

Many people prefer not to have their website connected to large companies like Google where privacy is a concern. Google's privacy policy, which governs the collection and use of data through reCAPTCHA, can be complex and difficult to understand. It is important to read and understand the policy before using reCAPTCHA. When a user interacts with reCAPTCHA, data such as their IP address, browser type, and mouse movements may be collected and sent to Google. This data can be used to track users across the internet and build a profile of their online behavior. By using reCAPTCHA, website owners are giving up control over the data that is collected from their users and how it is used. This can be a concern for website owners who are committed to protecting their users' privacy.

That's why it's important to consider using multiple methods to reduce spam on a WordPress website, such as an anti-spam plugin, manual moderation, and comment moderation, in addition to reCAPTCHA or other alternatives. This way, you can increase the chances of effectively reducing spam on your website, while minimizing the potential negative impact on the user experience. Consider a service like Defendium's anti-spam tools to stop spam on your site.
Google's ReCaptcha
No longer an open source project and now feeds data back to Google.