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Google Beware, BlogSpot Users Upset Over “OpenID Conversions”

Google Beware, BlogSpot Users Upset Over “OpenID Conversions”

While Google’s OpenID integration on Blogger has received much praise throughout the blogosphere, it has also led to some bitter criticism from users recently.

Previously users were able to link their domain next to their comment name on Blogger without the need for registering with either Google or OpenID. Now it seems that in order to link their domain, they have to register with OpenID, which is creating some unforseen backlash against the search engine giant.

While most of the opinions posted on Blogger in Draft have been positive regarding the OpenID change, a growing segment seem to be expressing their frustration over the “lack of openness” with users being forced to use OpenID.

(MS) I am extremely unhappy about the dropping of the URL field, which gave bloggers the option of directing anyone interested to a specific blog. There are a number of Blogger users at BlogCatalog who are considering leaving Blogger for this reason.

If you are going to force someone to have an ID, then open ID is good, but I think no one should be forced to make their users log in, and I think that those who don’t log in should be able to put a URL in a URL field marked “(optional)”.

(jodi) I’m not happy at all with what has been done to blogger’s comment form. People who visit my blog like to be able to have their name link back to their own blog URL even if they’re with another blogging system, and now suddenly that’s not working for them.

I think this is shortsighted of Blogger, and like others, if this facet is not reinstated I will in likelihood look at moving my blog to a more user- and visitor-friendly site.

(Lynn Sinclair) OpenID has effectively closed my blog to comments. No one needs the hassle of having to sign up (or whatever hoops they must go through) in order to leave a message on a blog.

As a relatively new blogger, I’m still trying to entice readers, and OpenID isn’t helping the situation. And being about as techno-savvy as a slug, I don’t relish the thought of taking my blog elsewhere and learning something new.

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Please give OpenID to those who want it, and let the rest of us return to the way things were.

While some may wonder why on Earth Google would remove this feature (which was really popular on Blogger blogs), it probably had to do with the fact that the Blogger team saw OpenID as a way to not only eliminate fake commenters, but also help reduce the amount of comment spam on Blogger’s servers by helping them identify the person (or machine) trolling the comment section with their tasty opinions and links.

Google has not indicated whether or not they will reconsider opening up the comment section again. Hopefully they will consider as many blogger users are seriously considering outsourcing their comment section elsewhere, or even switching blog hosts completely.

View Comments (6)
  • I think that is a very generous interpretation of Google’s motives but we’ll never know why. Sounds like spin to me. Regardless, I know plenty of people refusing to comment now, several bloggers who have jumped ship already and a host being inundated with migrations to WordPress.

    This is the obstruction of communication, plain and simple. It is injurious to the way we connect with each other and the timing is just right, because comments seem to slow down around this time of year. If they don’t pick up again, will the less tech savvy Bloggers know who to blame?

    Fie on you, Google/Blogger. A plague on both your houses…

  • I am so pleased to hear about the migration to WordPress. This was merely a cynical attempt by Google to get everyone to go over to blogger.com, and it’s backfiring on them.

    On those blogs where I can’t leave a link in the comment name, I leave an embedded one as a signature to the comment, with a little note the first time to the blogger asking if he minds, and if so, to take it out. No-one has so far.

  • The ability to combine OpenID and DoubleClick raises serious questions.
    I think most of us already think we have enough cookies from Google and that they’re collecting too much information under the guise of ‘just making things better for us’.
    The question is whether Google did this to stop a few spammers getting no-followed links or get a better return on the $3.1 billion it spent buying DoubleClick.
    What do you think?

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