Private Blogs And Designated Readers

Last year, in Private Blogs And Commenting Policy, I documented a private blog conundrum.

I had discovered the oddity that designated readers in a private blog are unable to publish comments, when commenting is authenticated as "Only members of this blog".

At the time, I merely suspected a design oversight on the part of Blogger engineers, in deciding that designated readers to a private blog were not afforded the courtesy of being allowed to comment.

The comment authentication choices (for the blog owner to select) appear to include

1. Require no additional authentication ("Anyone - includes Anonymous Users"), presumably because ability to access the comments wizard requires authenticated access to the blog.
2. Accept "OpenID" authentication ("Registered Users - includes OpenID").
3. Accept Blogger account ("Users with Google Accounts") for designated readers.
4. Accept author members only ("Only members of this blog").
5. Eliminate the "designated readers" distinction altogether, and make all members "authors".

In further retrospect, I see that this "oddity" allows blog owners an additional level of control - whether or not to have a blog that allows some people to only view the blog, and to not publish comments.

It would be possibly more obvious, if private blogs were to have an additional selection, in Settings - Comments, for "Who Can Comment?". This would, preferably, include a setting "Designated readers may post comments". This would save blog owners from the uncertainty, that allowing anything less than "Only members of this blog" to publish comments, may bring.

It's also possible that understanding of the choices which exist now may be sufficient. Your comments are welcome.

(Update 2015/06/24): Blogger has reduced the confusion, by eliminating non authenticated ("guest") access, to private blogs. All private blog access will require Blogger authentication.