"Just make locked posts" is the worst response to this because that so-called "solution" basically tells people to reduce their visibility.

Many people don't want their visibility to be reduced.

However, they want a reduction in harassment.

In fact, much of the "I don't want search to exist" crowd exists due to lack of comment control.

People don't want to be found on search because they can't control the potential replies that might occur through a search vector.

I know this because plenty of the anti-search crowd wants public visibility -- but they don't want harassment.

No, a public post doesn't mean "talk to me".

Public means "publicly visible".

It's about being *read*.

Reading is different from writing.

Just as there's different settings for visibility, there should be different settings for replying.

@tprophet Yeah, I don't think the majority of people who want comment control know how to set up posting from a bot instance. So that's a no go.

Comment control settings for their *current* account is a hell of a lot more usable.

@tprophet Again, freedom of association.

You're entitled to say whatever you want. But you're not entitled to an audience 🙂

@atomicpoet @tprophet but if he's supplied the vehicle to that audience, shouldn't the commenter have use of the same vehicle?

Or maybe you consider that "ride-sharing" 🙂