I ran into an interesting problem last year: not being able to log in as myself on my own website to reply to commenters on blog posts on the Brave browser. I would go to enter a reply to a commenter, and instead of being automatically logged into my own blogger account (as I had to be in order to approve comments), I was suddenly "anonymous". When I tried to log in using my Google account, I was unable to - the entire process of logging in did not work - and there was no captcha. I would get taken to the top of the page again, and, when I went down to the reply link below the comment, I would have a message: "Unable to sign in to comment. Please check your browser configurations to allow sign-in. Learn more. You can still comment anonymously or with name and URL"
Having run my own blog for years, and this having worked seamlessly for years, I was quite surprised, and figured it was something that Google had changed. So I tried Firefox, and ran into the same barrier; I didn't bother trying Edge. However, I was still able to reply to commenters using the Chrome browser - I was still logged in with my blogger account there - so I replied to my commenters using that browser, while writing my posts and approving comments in Brave.
Until Chrome stopped automatically carrying over my log in as well this year.
OK. So NOW it was time to do something about this: it had gone from a niggle to a problem. I was (a) not logged in to Blogger, and (b) could not log in using my Google account. So what I tried was:
- Blogger Help (Evans, 2019; Satu, 2019), which suggested clearing out all cookies. I did that, shut down, and restarted my PC. No change: still no log in.
- Reddit (somuchsong, 2024), which suggested third party cookies should be enabled. I did that, shut down, restarted. No change: still no log in.
- Reddit (somuchsong, 2024), also suggested that "enhanced tracking protection" might be the problem, so disabling it might work. I did that, shut down, restarted. No change: still no log in.
- Blogger Help (D'Angelo, 2025; Evans, 2019) and Reddit (somuchsong, 2024), suggested that third party apps were causing problems. D'Angelo (2025) pointed the reader to a blogger blog post by Auster (2023) which talked about many things, including whitelisting sites. So I added the URLs of my blog, and blogger to the sites ignored by tracking protection. Shut down, restarted. No change.
- Coming back to this idea of third party apps causing problems, I re-read the three most useful posts (Auster, 2023; Evans, 2019; somuchsong, 2024), and I decided to search the Chome settings for 'party' and white list the URLs of my website and blogger everywhere. Shut down, restarted. No change.
- Sigh. Then my eye caught a line in the somuchsong (2024) question, asking them if they were using Privacy Badger. Damn: I use Privacy Badger. I reloaded the blog page in Chrome, and saw that Privacy Badger immediately flagged four cookies and blocked them. I slid the slider across to green for my site. Shut down, restarted. I could now comment.
- Then I went to Brave, and turned off scanning on my website. Now I can write posts, comment and reply all in Brave.
A bit of a palaver, but not really a Google issue as this is third party app blocking. BUT. It shows that the Blogger platform is getting out of step with the rest of the internet with tracking and cookies. If Google are to keep Blogger going, there seems to be a need for an upgrade.
Something to watch out for.
Sam
References:
Auster, A. (2023, December 20). Blogger comments and engagement. Too Clever By Half. https://too-clever-by-half.blogspot.com/2023/12/blogger-comments-and-engagement.html
D'Angelo, I. (2025, January 3). Logged into Blogger, can't reply to comments on my blog via blogspot. Blogger Help. https://support.google.com/blogger/thread/316567484/logged-into-blogger-can-t-reply-to-comments-on-my-blog-via-blogspot?hl=en
Evans, J. (2019, April 12). Can't Leave Comments. Blogger Help. https://support.google.com/blogger/thread/4035725/can-t-leave-comments?hl=en
Satu. (2019, March 30). I can't answer the comments. Where's the problem?. Blogger Help. https://support.google.com/blogger/thread/3263553/i-can-t-answer-the-comments-where-s-the-problem?hl=en
somuchsong. (2024). Blogger: Can't comment on my own blog (or any blog) with Google account. Reddit r/blogspot. https://www.reddit.com/r/blogspot/comments/17yi6cb/blogger_cant_comment_on_my_own_blog_or_any_blog/
Sam, your experience with browser-based login issues on Blogger resonates with challenges in the banking sector, particularly concerning online loan applications. Just as browser settings and third-party extensions can impede access to your blog, similar technical hurdles can obstruct digital banking processes.
ReplyDeleteFor instance, applicants often face difficulties when banks' online systems misinterpret or mishandle their information, leading to loan denials or delays. This parallels your situation where browser configurations and extensions like Privacy Badger interfered with your ability to comment on your blog.
Moreover, the lack of clear communication from banks regarding loan application statuses can be as frustrating as ambiguous error messages during login attempts. In both scenarios, users are left navigating complex systems without adequate guidance, leading to unnecessary stress and confusion.
Your meticulous approach to troubleshooting—identifying the role of third-party extensions and adjusting settings—highlights the importance of user awareness and proactive problem-solving. Similarly, bank customers must often advocate for themselves, seeking clarity and resolution when faced with opaque digital processes.
Thanks so much, KI, for your reply. Crikey, you make a good point: I can see straight away that digital banking services too would also fall victim to third party apps... again, the power (read impact) of unintended consequences!
DeleteHi Sam, thanks for sharing your experience—it's been incredibly helpful!
ReplyDeleteI encountered the same frustrating issue where I couldn't sign in to comment on my own Blogger posts. After trying various solutions like clearing cookies and adjusting browser settings, nothing seemed to work. However, your mention of Privacy Badger caught my attention. I use that extension too, and upon disabling it for my blog, the problem was resolved!
It's surprising how browser extensions can interfere with Blogger's functionality. Your detailed troubleshooting steps saved me a lot of time and frustration. Thanks again for documenting your journey—it's a valuable resource for others facing similar challenges.
Oh, I am so glad you found that helpful zeolis! Yes, I wish someone had been that clear for me to have stumbled across. I think most of the time I write my blog as my own external memory ;-)
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