As a blogger, I love when a reader leaves a comment. It gives you a feeling of connectedness and it is great to know that your words or pictures have touched another person causing them to smile or empathise or best of all, be inspired.
However, I am not enjoying the massive influx of spam comments that have been appearing on posts old and new in their hundreds, each anonymous and each with a link to a slightly dubious looking website.
I have been doing my best to clear up the spam manually as the filters on Blogger that I have relied on in the past seem to be obvious only by their absence.
I do not know enough about the virtual world to understand just who gains by the spam comments. Clearly, someone is profiting enough to make it a worthwhile pursuit.
At first, I was amused by the comments. Usually written in slightly clumsy English, they flatter the blogger with phrases like fantastic publish, very informative - and my personal favourite What a stuff of un-ambiguity and preserveness of valuable experience on the topic of unpredicted emotions.
Now, it is starting to feel like a violation.
My blog is my personal space. The content is my own and I certainly do not want to endorse links to gambling websites or cures for genital warts!
The internet is a vast and unknowable place with huge potential for good but as with all things, there is a dark side and the potential for misuse and abuse.
I will continue to blog with enthusiasm and feel delight when a genuine comment is posted. I doubt I have seen the last of 'Anonymous' but it is reassuring to know that with one click of the delete button, he is gone.
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