Tag: Site Management

When running a WordPress site with the ActivityPub plugin, you’re not just managing a website—you’re also operating a node in the Fediverse. This means you need effective tools to block unwanted activities, users, servers, and content from other instances across the network.

How Blocking Works in ActivityPub for WordPress

The ActivityPub plugin takes a pragmatic approach to blocking unwanted content by building on WordPress’s existing “Disallowed Comment Keys” feature. While this leverages familiar comment filtering tools, it may be less immediately obvious than the dedicated blocking interfaces found in some other Fediverse applications.

The Disallowed Comment Keys System

At its core, WordPress has long had a built-in system to filter comments based on specific keywords or domains. The ActivityPub plugin builds on this system to also block incoming Fediverse activities.

When an activity arrives at your WordPress site’s inbox, the plugin runs it through the same filtering mechanism used for regular WordPress comments. This means that if you’ve configured WordPress to block certain domains or keywords in comments, those same rules will apply to incoming ActivityPub activities like follows, likes, or replies.

Where to Find and Configure Blocking Settings

The blocking settings aren’t located within the ActivityPub plugin’s own settings page. Instead, they’re accessed through WordPress’s standard Discussion Settings:

1. Navigate to Settings → Discussion in your WordPress admin panel.
2. Scroll down to the Disallowed Comment Keys section.
3. Add domains, keywords, or IP addresses you want to block, one per line.

For example, to block a problematic Fediverse server, you would add its domain (like bad-instance.com) to the disallowed comment keys list.

The ActivityPub settings page also links to this under Settings → ActivityPub → Settings tab, where the “Blocklist” section points you to the same Disallowed Comment Keys setting.

Tracking Blocked Activities

When the plugin blocks an incoming activity, it logs relevant details to your PHP error logs. This typically includes information about the actor (user) who sent the activity, helping you monitor and refine your blocking strategy over time.

Best Practices for Blocking

When managing your WordPress site as a Fediverse node:

1. Be specific: Block particular profiles or domains instead of using broad keyword filters. Precision helps avoid false positives.
2. Review your logs: Periodically check your PHP error logs to understand what’s being blocked.
3. Adjust as needed: Refine your blocking strategy based on the patterns you observe.

Unlike centralized social networks, the Fediverse gives you direct control over what appears on your site. Your blocklist is a reflection of your site’s values and the kind of interactions you want to support.