With FastComments you can subscribe to your comments via RSS feeds. This allows you to track and monitor comments using your favorite RSS reader application.
RSS feeds provide an easy way to stay up-to-date with comment activity across your site without logging into the dashboard.
Overview 
FastComments provides RSS feeds that allow you to subscribe to your comments using any RSS reader application.
Your RSS feed contains:
- Up to 10,000 comments from the last 30 days
- Comments sorted by votes and date (most popular first)
- Full comment content including commenter name and comment text
- Links back to the original comment location
The feed is provided in RSS 2.0 format, which is compatible with all major RSS readers.
The RSS feed updates in real-time as new comments are added to your site. The feed includes metadata indicating when it was last updated, allowing RSS readers to efficiently check for new content.
Setting Up Your RSS Feed
Navigate to your account dashboard and go to the RSS Feed page.
On the RSS Feed page, check the "Enable RSS Feed Access" checkbox to generate your unique RSS feed URL.
When you enable the feed, a security notice will appear explaining that anyone with the link can access your comments.
Once enabled, your unique RSS feed URL will appear. Click the "Copy" button to copy the URL to your clipboard.
Open your RSS reader application and add the copied URL as a new feed subscription. The exact steps vary by RSS reader, but typically you'll look for an "Add Feed" or "Subscribe" button, paste your RSS feed URL, and give the feed a name.
You can also click the "View Feed" button on the RSS Feed page to see your feed directly in your browser.
To disable access to your RSS feed, simply uncheck the "Enable RSS Feed Access" checkbox. This will prevent the feed from being accessed, though the URL will remain the same if you re-enable it later.
Security Considerations
RSS feeds in FastComments are secured using unique, non-guessable UUIDs. However, when you enable your RSS feed, anyone who has the URL can access your comments.
The feed is not password-protected, so the URL should be treated as sensitive information and shared only with trusted RSS readers or services.
Best practices:
- Keep Your URL Private: Don't share your RSS feed URL publicly or in locations where unauthorized users might find it.
- Use Trusted RSS Readers: Only add your feed to RSS reader services you trust, as they will have access to your comment data.
- Monitor Access: If you suspect your feed URL has been compromised, you can disable and re-enable the feed to generate a new URL.
- Disable When Not Needed: If you're no longer using the RSS feed, disable it in your dashboard to prevent any access.
The RSS feed contains comment text and HTML content, commenter names, comment dates, links to the pages where comments were made, and vote counts.
The feed does not contain commenter email addresses, IP addresses, or other sensitive user information.
RSS feeds provide a convenient way to monitor comment activity on your site. By using the secure feed endpoint with proper access controls, you can safely subscribe to your comments in your favorite RSS reader.
For questions or issues with RSS feeds, please contact FastComments Support.