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Removing the Comments Email Field
If you’ve considered how to remove the Comments Email field from your WordPress posts, you’re in the right place. This essential move could help in enhancing privacy and engagement on your site.
The current article is "6.12. Remove the Email Field" of our Complete SEO Guide Box.
Previous Article: 6.11. Remove the Name Field. Next Article: 6.13. Remove the Website Field
Understanding the Comments Email Field
Initially, WordPress collects email addresses from users via the Comments Email field. This data assists in managing comments, blocking spam, and even engaging in follow-up discussions. However, removing the email field from your comments section can bring several advantages.
Enhancing User Privacy
An immediate benefit without this field is enhanced user privacy. People may hesitate to comment if they need to disclose their email addresses. Eliminating this requirement encourages more interaction from users who value their privacy.
Simplifying GDPR Compliance
Another vital aspect to consider is the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This EU law demands that individuals have more control over their personal data. By removing the Comments Email field from your site, you lessen the personal data you gather, making it easier to comply with such laws, which means less work while compiling Privacy Policy and other policies.
Promoting Simplicity and Engagement
Keeping things simple can enhance user engagement. Without this field, you decrease the number of fields a user needs to fill, making the process less tedious. This simplicity can encourage users to leave comments, fostering a dynamic, interactive community on your site.
Spam and Links
Spammers often leave their URLs or domains in the Email field. When you remove the field, they will not be able to do that, and other users will not be able to fall to their bate in case you do not see that. However, the Akismet Anti-Spam plugin works well in these cases.
The Decision
Removing the Comments Email field can offer several advantages to WordPress site owners, including enhanced user privacy and reduced spam. However, it’s essential to understand your site’s specific needs and audience before making this change. Remember that these fields serve a purpose: they allow you to identify and potentially contact individuals who comment on your posts. Therefore, consider the impact of removing these fields and decide if this approach aligns with your site’s objectives.
Recommendation to Remove the Comments Email Field from WordPress
The decision to remove the Comments Email Field from our WordPress site, much like removing the Name field, is driven by the desire to promote user engagement, privacy, and simplicity in the commenting process. By not collecting user’s names and email addresses, we can simplify our Privacy policy and other related policies.
How to Remove WordPress Email Comments Field through functions.php of the Child Theme
We will add a function to the functions.php file of our Child Theme.
Find the end of the file with the “?>” string.
Before that string, make at least three empty lines and paste the code:
// Disable Email in comments. 60 is the priority of execution.
add_filter( 'comment_form_default_fields', 'remove_comment_fields', 60 );
function remove_comment_fields( $fields ) {
if(isset($fields['email']))
unset($fields['email']);
return $fields;
}This function checks if the ”email” field is set, and if so, the function unsets (or removes) the field.
Click [Update File].
Clear all the caches in case you use them.
If your site already has some comments, you should remove the “email” field from the database using the Database Manager. You will need to back up the database.
Removing Name and Website Fields
You can also remove the Name and Website fields from the comments section with our guides: How to Remove the Name Field from Comments Section in WordPress through functions.php, and How to Remove the Website/URL Field from Comments Section in WordPress through functions.php.
There is also an option to remove all the input fields (Name, Email, and Website) from the Comments Section in WordPress with a single function using functions.php.
The current article is "6.12. Remove the Email Field" of our Complete SEO Guide Box.
Previous Article: 6.11. Remove the Name Field. Next Article: 6.13. Remove the Website Field
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