A few weeks ago we started requiring registration with email verification for commenters. So how has that worked out? Here are the basic stats from our tech wizards:
- 22% decrease in total comments
- 22% increase in Twitter logins
- 257% increase in Facebook logins
- 45% decrease in comments our moderators decided to delete
So there you have it. We’re getting fewer comments, but not a lot fewer, and anecdotally, the tone of the comments section seems much more civil.
The moral of the story is: Register today! You can use your Twitter or Facebook login, but you don’t have to. Just submit your name, you’ll get an email address with a verification link to click, and you’re good to go. You only have to do it once.