(This is a guest author article.)
CLARIFICATION: Following a few commenters who misunderstood the whole point of my post, I would like to clarify a few points. When I say "allow anonymous comments" I mean "allow them to remain on your blog" rather than "block them out at the source" which is practically impossible. Also my defintion of anonymous in this article is any insulting comment from an unknown source.
Admin Note: The post title has been slightly altered to more accurately reflect the meaning of the question.
I recently read a few random (mostly anonymous) trollish and insulting comments on a few blogs and have been thinking about this issue seriously.
Do you allow anonymous comments on your blog(s)? Have you ever considered why you should? Is there any reason why random strangers should be allowed to spew their vitriol on space that you rent/own/pay for? Let me make it clear at once that I'm talking about those nitwits who drop one post on your blog insulting you, leave behind no identifiable information and diss your opinion or anything else you consider worthy of respect. I'm not talking about people who are courageous enough to stand behind their opinions, no matter what and are willing and open to honest debate and I'm not talking about those rare occasions when people have a genuine need to protect their identity.
I've yet to find a reason for why so many blog writers keep allowing comments without even requiring a name/handle. It is just as good as, or better than an open invitation to spam your website. Maybe it's the default setting on your blog software that allows anonymous comments. Maybe you are new to blogging and feel that commenting should be encouraged in every way possible and that anonymous comments might encourage more people to freely express their opinions. All I can say to that is I've found that respectable bloggers and commenters do not try to hide or run away after leaving behind their opinions. People who post credible information do not hide behind a nonsense handle or an invalid e-mail ID. It's those who leave behind a trail of crap who're too scared to let their identities come out in the open. And don't fall for that "Freedom of Speech" nonsense. Freedom of Speech does not include pissing on private property, anonymously or not. Since anybody with a half-decent internet connection has the freedom create their own blogs (hint: http://www.blogger.com/start 
) and even remain completely anonymous in the process, the "freedom" point is moot and doesn't hold water in this context. Point is, there are no dearth of legitimate opportunities to express one's opinions, no matter how distasteful or crude they might be. Anonymous hate-mongering on other blogs' commenting areas is not one of them.
I for one, do not allow anonymous comments on my blog Hari's Corner. My definition of anonymous commenters in this context is
- people who leave behind no e-mail ID and/or website url and
- in my judgement, are merely trying to bait me or my readers for their pleasure.
If I find such comments, my first instinct is to delete. I don't care if people cry "censorship". The point is: submitting feedback on any website is a privilege, not a right. And I have every right to clean out what I consider spam on my website. If these cowardly anonymous hypocrites don't like it, that's no skin off my nose. In fact, I'd prefer to be known as a tyrant and a dictator in that context.
Why should some unknown idiot insult you and leave behind an e-mail ID like aaa@bbb.ccc and without revealing his/her own website's URL? I think 99% of blog commenters are other blog owners themselves. All those anonymous commenters are just people who don't want you to visit their blog for fear of retaliation. They cannot stomach the same harsh criticism that they dealt to you.
The bottom line is that anonymous insults not only hurt the author, but the other regular readers of a blog as well. They are an unproductive waste of space, add nothing to your blog and you are better off without them. So what if a few well-intentioned, but misguided idealists criticize you for that decision in the name of "censorship" or "Free Speech" and expect you to tolerate insults in order to uphold their principles? 
Because I thought you were saying prevent all anonymous comments, especially when you said it in your post. 
