You provide the money, right? SmugMug is subscription based. Commentors are required to be logged in for security reasons. That is the truth and it has been said over and over in this and other threads.
The team is working on a solution.
There are no security reasons that are valid here. It should be up to the site owner to allow or disallow anonymous comments.
In addition your choice of available logins is ridiculous. I believe that most of my viewers do not have smugmug accounts, and many of them share my dislike for Facebook. I've never liked their flip-flop policies, don't have and don't want a login there. But I do want my viewers to be able to leave me comments. I have deliberately removed my guestbook page from my site for now since smug hasn't bothered to supply a commenting mechanism that is acceptable to everyone.
Last time I'm going to post this, since we all went over this in the other thread months ago... Regarding pedophilic comments, they were really bad, so bad that you can't imagine. The problem was that these comments would often bump the image into the daily popular section where EVERYONE that uses SmugMug could see them. This is not about someone's feelings getting hurt from negative comments as some of you have alluded to, this is about horrible things said anonymously about children that nobody should have to see. Until we have a better solution a person leaving a comment must be logged into Facebook or SmugMug. We are exploring other options.
They could, but we haven't found that to be the case.
Well, by SM's reasoning, if it's a possibility then it's a risk, so you should take preventive/preventative action and cease allowing FB logins for comments.
Looks like about 83 million people could leave bad comments with this SmugMug reasoning.
Indeed. And if we consider only those 1.5 percent that are "undesirable accounts", that's still a whopping 14,325,000 accounts that might spawn 14,325,000 "undesirable" comments here before they're caught. That's based on data from an article dated August 2012, current numbers could be much higher.
If the worst happened and someone used a FB log-in to leave a bad comment, would that comment be scrubbed automatically if that FB account was closed (i.e. is there a link), or is the comment orphaned and hence would need to be scrubbed at the SM end?
Zac, you and SmugMug are totally missing the point. It has been asked REPEATABLY to give US the option as to how we deal with comments. And you are right - WE ARE PAYING FOR IT. So, put out a huge disclaimer that SmugMug is not responsible for comments allowed by their users and that the USERS are responsible for the responses they get and allow to go public. Give me a flipping break...how many pedophile responses are allowed to remain on users sites by the user. This is total BS. I do not care how YOU at SmugMug feel. I am the one paying for the service. It is so dang simple. Allow us to moderate the comments before they are allowed to be made public. Have you folks never seen how blogs and other internet sites give the option to moderate comments? We see a flippin' pedofile make a comment and we simply delete it. No one else sees it. Are you guys and gals up there so scared that we who are paying you for the service will sue you 'cause some idiot makes a bizarre comment that we can DELETE BEFORE the public can see it. Something is going very wrong in your culture. Give us what we want please.
If you will not allow comments moderated by the end user before going public because you all are afraid of pedophile responses, then you need to make rules that no photos of children are allowed because pedophiles might make their own use of them. Obviously, this is as stupid as limiting comments for the same fear. Ok, I am getting off my soap box. I just do not see how any sane person can argue with letting us moderate our comments before they are made public. Thanks for the censureship.
Ok, I read a few posts above mine. SmugMug is afraid that we will allow open comments that will allow disgusting comments to be allowed by us because we do not set a box for user moderation, thereby allowing freely written comments. These comments may SOMEHOW come to the forefront of SmugMug sites so a whole bunch of folks will see these disgusting comments and will reflect badly on SmugMug. Therefore, SmugMug makes folks log in before making comments and SmugMug thinks they have solved the problem by basically adding a censorship login model.
Ok, well try this instead. Force ALL accounts to moderate their comments before they are made public. Very simple. Anyone can make a comment without logging in. Before the comment is made public, the comment is sent to the user's known email address. The user will have to click "something" to approve the comment for public viewing. Done deal. Many sites have this capability. I do not think many users will have a problem with this. Just how many SmugMug users have so many comments daily that would cause them to have a problem with this solution? Why don't you send us all an email and ASK us instead of implementing something that MOST users do not like?
Ok, well try this instead. Force ALL accounts to moderate their comments before they are made public. Very simple. Anyone can make a comment without logging in. Before the comment is made public, the comment is sent to the user's known email address. The user will have to click "something" to approve the comment for public viewing. Done deal.
I absolutely agree...I'd be more than happy to moderate my comments; it seems like this could be an option for users...let a user choose to allow anonymous logins and then force moderation for those users.
Let's not shoot the messenger. We should be grateful for Zac's input here despite the fact that we don't all agree with it. AFAIK Zac doesn't set policy at SM, but at least he's had the balls to discuss it in this thread. We should respect him for that.
It is so dang simple. Allow us to moderate the comments before they are allowed to be made public. Have you folks never seen how blogs and other internet sites give the option to moderate comments? We see a flippin' pedofile make a comment and we simply delete it. No one else sees it...
If you will not allow comments moderated by the end user before going public...
But we are allowed to moderate comments, just as we were in Legacy. There's still a "Require comment approval" tickbox setting in Account Settings > Stats > Comments:
With this setting "ticked" no undesirable comments should reach the open SM environment unless I'm remiss in my comment approvals. I think I'm grown-up enough to handle that bit regardless of whether the comments come from logged-in or logged-out visitors.
"Require comment approval" should be ON by default and a big bad warning message pops up when toggled off.
This toggle should be on EVERY gallery settings page NOT in account settings.
Put it under the comment ON/OFF toggle. Perhaps only display the approval line
when comments are toggled on.
spot on. All too often in modern life (not necessarily Smugmug-specific, or even website-specific), "security" is used as a catchall, don't ask any more questions, this can't be debated justification for something.
So far the example given is that someone might read something nasty. That's not good, but its nothing to do with a security issue (or, frankly, a child protection issue; it is not in any way putting any children at risk) edit: or how having a facebook login absolves anyone of any of the issues.
Control and moderation of comments should lie with the account owner, who *if they choose* may delegate it to Smugmug's stringent controls.
Pre-moderation, as already implemented, covers most requirements, both of account holders, and legally.
bump for status ...and I know, a status won't be posted here. I'd like one, but even more I'd like to have this implemented, and soon.
I'd like to re-add a guestbook to my site but I can't since the only way to add a comment is to log on to Facebook (which I won't ask anyone to do) or to log on to smug (I would guess that many of my viewers don't have smug accounts).
When will we have the ability to allow commenters to log in to Google? Or to be anonymous and not log in anywhere?
As of this afternoon your visitors now have the option to sign in using their Google accounts to post comments. Please let us know if you run into any issues!
-Mike
SmugMug Sorcerer
(and an avid landscape photographer - view my website)
As of this afternoon your visitors now have the option to sign in using their Google accounts to post comments. Please let us know if you run into any issues!
-Mike
Most of my relatives do not have anyway to log into anything. Make people set their comments for
approval and leave the rest of us alone.
Smug needs to go in and set everyone to "comment approval" then it's up to any one not wanting this to turn it off.
Smugmug is not the internet police and this is censorship.
Most of my relatives do not have anyway to log into anything. Make people set their comments for
approval and leave the rest of us alone.
Smug needs to go in and set everyone to "comment approval" then it's up to any one not wanting this to turn it off.
Smugmug is not the internet police and this is censorship.
Allen,
I will say it again. You will need to sign into a service to leave comments in SmugMug. Right now there are 3 log in options. SmugMug, Facebook, and Google.
We will be adding more options, but this is not changing.
I will say it again. You will need to sign into a service to leave comments in SmugMug. Right now there are 3 log in options. SmugMug, Facebook, and Google.
We will be adding more options, but this is not changing.
And not one relevant to most of my visitors.
Just saw on the news today of how logging into facebook on some sites are spoofs.
So logging in at any site that's not the true Facebook site is not recommended.
One of Facebook's warnings.
"Check to see that you're logging in from a legitimate Facebook page with the facebook.com domain."
As of this afternoon your visitors now have the option to sign in using their Google accounts to post comments. Please let us know if you run into any issues!
-Mike
Hey Mike - Thank you!
I'm heading out right now but I definitely plan to re-enable my guestbook, greatly appreciated.
I will say it again. You will need to sign into a service to leave comments in SmugMug. Right now there are 3 log in options. SmugMug, Facebook, and Google.
We will be adding more options, but this is not changing.
This is no help at all. Not one of my guests that does not have Facebook has Google. And you can multiply options all you want, but it still doesn't get away from the basic problem, which is that SmugMug has gotten heavy-handed about what we can do with our own site, the site that we pay for. I have lost a lot of respect for SmugMug over this. This is not a security issue: it doesn't affect SmugMug, it doesn't affect other SmugMug users, it doesn't involve legal violations, so bug off. Your "this will not be changing" attitude sounds like you think the sites we pay for are not really our own sites.
This is no help at all. Not one of my guests that does not have Facebook has Google. And you can multiply options all you want, but it still doesn't get away from the basic problem, which is that SmugMug has gotten heavy-handed about what we can do with our own site, the site that we pay for. I have lost a lot of respect for SmugMug over this. This is not a security issue: it doesn't affect SmugMug, it doesn't affect other SmugMug users, it doesn't involve legal violations, so bug off. Your "this will not be changing" attitude sounds like you think the sites we pay for are not really our own sites.
Anonymous comments work fine... in legacy. One more reason I won't be clicking the downgrade button until smugmug does it for me. My site has JavaScript and lots of other feature requests already implemented. It has a better user interface, requiring fewer clicks to do just about anything. Seems like lots of new smug customers would be jealous of what my old site can do. Why in the world would I want new smug over legacy?
I'm sure the silent majority is telling baldy they are grateful that nobody is allowed to enable anonymous comments. And that none of the arguments by the vocal minority of complainers on dgrin matters at all.
My question to smugmug users is... who is this requirement to sign in to leave comments good for? Why would anybody like this? Add an option, sure! But we already have comments approval for those worried about it. What do you care if my site allows anonymous comments? This one only benefits smugmug, not the users.
This is no help at all. Not one of my guests that does not have Facebook has Google. And you can multiply options all you want, but it still doesn't get away from the basic problem, which is that SmugMug has gotten heavy-handed about what we can do with our own site, the site that we pay for. I have lost a lot of respect for SmugMug over this. This is not a security issue: it doesn't affect SmugMug, it doesn't affect other SmugMug users, it doesn't involve legal violations, so bug off. Your "this will not be changing" attitude sounds like you think the sites we pay for are not really our own sites.
I understand, but I can sit here and tell you we will have more internal discussions about it and give you false hope, or tell you that we will not be having anonymous comments so we can move to other discussions. I chose to tell you the later, and while it's not what you want to here , I think it's better than lying to you.
Comments
In addition your choice of available logins is ridiculous. I believe that most of my viewers do not have smugmug accounts, and many of them share my dislike for Facebook. I've never liked their flip-flop policies, don't have and don't want a login there. But I do want my viewers to be able to leave me comments. I have deliberately removed my guestbook page from my site for now since smug hasn't bothered to supply a commenting mechanism that is acceptable to everyone.
--- Denise
Musings & ramblings at https://denisegoldberg.blogspot.com
They could, but we haven't found that to be the case.
Support Hero
Indeed. And if we consider only those 1.5 percent that are "undesirable accounts", that's still a whopping 14,325,000 accounts that might spawn 14,325,000 "undesirable" comments here before they're caught. That's based on data from an article dated August 2012, current numbers could be much higher.
If the worst happened and someone used a FB log-in to leave a bad comment, would that comment be scrubbed automatically if that FB account was closed (i.e. is there a link), or is the comment orphaned and hence would need to be scrubbed at the SM end?
If you will not allow comments moderated by the end user before going public because you all are afraid of pedophile responses, then you need to make rules that no photos of children are allowed because pedophiles might make their own use of them. Obviously, this is as stupid as limiting comments for the same fear. Ok, I am getting off my soap box. I just do not see how any sane person can argue with letting us moderate our comments before they are made public. Thanks for the censureship.
Ok, well try this instead. Force ALL accounts to moderate their comments before they are made public. Very simple. Anyone can make a comment without logging in. Before the comment is made public, the comment is sent to the user's known email address. The user will have to click "something" to approve the comment for public viewing. Done deal. Many sites have this capability. I do not think many users will have a problem with this. Just how many SmugMug users have so many comments daily that would cause them to have a problem with this solution? Why don't you send us all an email and ASK us instead of implementing something that MOST users do not like?
I absolutely agree...I'd be more than happy to moderate my comments; it seems like this could be an option for users...let a user choose to allow anonymous logins and then force moderation for those users.
Support Hero
But we are allowed to moderate comments, just as we were in Legacy. There's still a "Require comment approval" tickbox setting in Account Settings > Stats > Comments:
With this setting "ticked" no undesirable comments should reach the open SM environment unless I'm remiss in my comment approvals. I think I'm grown-up enough to handle that bit regardless of whether the comments come from logged-in or logged-out visitors.
This toggle should be on EVERY gallery settings page NOT in account settings.
Put it under the comment ON/OFF toggle. Perhaps only display the approval line
when comments are toggled on.
My Website index | My Blog
spot on. All too often in modern life (not necessarily Smugmug-specific, or even website-specific), "security" is used as a catchall, don't ask any more questions, this can't be debated justification for something.
So far the example given is that someone might read something nasty. That's not good, but its nothing to do with a security issue (or, frankly, a child protection issue; it is not in any way putting any children at risk) edit: or how having a facebook login absolves anyone of any of the issues.
Control and moderation of comments should lie with the account owner, who *if they choose* may delegate it to Smugmug's stringent controls.
Pre-moderation, as already implemented, covers most requirements, both of account holders, and legally.
...and I know, a status won't be posted here. I'd like one, but even more I'd like to have this implemented, and soon.
I'd like to re-add a guestbook to my site but I can't since the only way to add a comment is to log on to Facebook (which I won't ask anyone to do) or to log on to smug (I would guess that many of my viewers don't have smug accounts).
When will we have the ability to allow commenters to log in to Google? Or to be anonymous and not log in anywhere?
--- Denise
Musings & ramblings at https://denisegoldberg.blogspot.com
As of this afternoon your visitors now have the option to sign in using their Google accounts to post comments. Please let us know if you run into any issues!
-Mike
(and an avid landscape photographer - view my website)
approval and leave the rest of us alone.
Smug needs to go in and set everyone to "comment approval" then it's up to any one not wanting this to turn it off.
Smugmug is not the internet police and this is censorship.
My Website index | My Blog
Allen,
I will say it again. You will need to sign into a service to leave comments in SmugMug. Right now there are 3 log in options. SmugMug, Facebook, and Google.
We will be adding more options, but this is not changing.
Facebook
Google+
Twitter
Photo Blog
Just saw on the news today of how logging into facebook on some sites are spoofs.
My Website index | My Blog
Logging into Facebook are spoofs? Sorry, not following
I apologize Allen, but if someone feels the need to comment, they have to log in.
Facebook
Google+
Twitter
Photo Blog
https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook/protect-yourself-against-phishing/81474932130
So logging in at any site that's not the true Facebook site is not recommended.
One of Facebook's warnings.
"Check to see that you're logging in from a legitimate Facebook page with the facebook.com domain."
My Website index | My Blog
I would hope after all these years you really don't think SmugMug set up a phishing site...
Facebook
Google+
Twitter
Photo Blog
saw today they'd be very suspicious.
My Website index | My Blog
Understood. Such is the internet today :cry
Facebook
Google+
Twitter
Photo Blog
that's not part of the site you're on.
https
My Website index | My Blog
I know how you feel about it. Thank you for your feedback Allen.
Facebook
Google+
Twitter
Photo Blog
Thank you!
I'm heading out right now but I definitely plan to re-enable my guestbook, greatly appreciated.
--- Denise
Musings & ramblings at https://denisegoldberg.blogspot.com
This is no help at all. Not one of my guests that does not have Facebook has Google. And you can multiply options all you want, but it still doesn't get away from the basic problem, which is that SmugMug has gotten heavy-handed about what we can do with our own site, the site that we pay for. I have lost a lot of respect for SmugMug over this. This is not a security issue: it doesn't affect SmugMug, it doesn't affect other SmugMug users, it doesn't involve legal violations, so bug off. Your "this will not be changing" attitude sounds like you think the sites we pay for are not really our own sites.
Anonymous comments work fine... in legacy. One more reason I won't be clicking the downgrade button until smugmug does it for me. My site has JavaScript and lots of other feature requests already implemented. It has a better user interface, requiring fewer clicks to do just about anything. Seems like lots of new smug customers would be jealous of what my old site can do. Why in the world would I want new smug over legacy?
I'm sure the silent majority is telling baldy they are grateful that nobody is allowed to enable anonymous comments. And that none of the arguments by the vocal minority of complainers on dgrin matters at all.
My question to smugmug users is... who is this requirement to sign in to leave comments good for? Why would anybody like this? Add an option, sure! But we already have comments approval for those worried about it. What do you care if my site allows anonymous comments? This one only benefits smugmug, not the users.
Dave
I understand, but I can sit here and tell you we will have more internal discussions about it and give you false hope, or tell you that we will not be having anonymous comments so we can move to other discussions. I chose to tell you the later, and while it's not what you want to here , I think it's better than lying to you.
Facebook
Google+
Twitter
Photo Blog