The Diaspora communications policies allow comments to public posts literally from anybody. Allow this policy model by default for commenters from that network. This policy decision can be set or disabled on the addon/features settings page.

include/diaspora.php

@@ -1271,17 +1271,49 @@ function diaspora_comment($importer,$xml,$msg) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if((! $importer['system']) && (! perm_is_allowed($importer['channel_id'],$contact['xchan_hash'],'post_comments'))) {
+
+	
+	$pubcomment = get_pconfig($importer['channel_id'],'system','diaspora_public_comments');
+
+	// by default comments on public posts are allowed from anybody on Diaspora. That is their policy.
+	// Once this setting is set to something we'll track your preference and it will over-ride the default. 
+
+	if($pubcomment === false)
+		$pubcomment = 1;
+
+	// Friendica is currently truncating guids at 64 chars
+	$search_guid = $parent_guid;
+	if(strlen($parent_guid) == 64)
+		$search_guid = $parent_guid . '%';
+
+	$r = q("SELECT * FROM item WHERE uid = %d AND mid LIKE '%s' LIMIT 1",
+		intval($importer['channel_id']),
+		dbesc($search_guid)
+	);
+	if(! $r) {
+		logger('diaspora_comment: parent item not found: parent: ' . $parent_guid . ' item: ' . $guid);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	$parent_item = $r[0];
+
+	if(intval($parent_item['item_private']))
+		$pubcomment = 0;	
+
+	// So basically if something arrives at the sys channel it's by definition public and we allow it.
+	// If $pubcomment and the parent was public, we allow it.
+	// In all other cases, honour the permissions for this Diaspora connection
+
+	if((! $importer['system']) && (! $pubcomment) && (! perm_is_allowed($importer['channel_id'],$contact['xchan_hash'],'post_comments'))) {
 		logger('diaspora_comment: Ignoring this author.');
 		return 202;
 	}
 
-	// Friendica is currently truncating guids at 64 chars
-
 	$search_guid = $guid;
 	if(strlen($guid) == 64)
 		$search_guid = $guid . '%';
 
+
 	$r = q("SELECT * FROM item WHERE uid = %d AND mid like '%s' LIMIT 1",
 		intval($importer['channel_id']),
 		dbesc($search_guid)
@@ -1291,20 +1323,6 @@ function diaspora_comment($importer,$xml,$msg) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	$search_guid = $parent_guid;
-	if(strlen($parent_guid) == 64)
-		$search_guid = $parent_guid . '%';
-
-
-	$r = q("SELECT * FROM item WHERE uid = %d AND mid LIKE '%s' LIMIT 1",
-		intval($importer['channel_id']),
-		dbesc($search_guid)
-	);
-	if(! $r) {
-		logger('diaspora_comment: parent item not found: parent: ' . $parent_guid . ' item: ' . $guid);
-		return;
-	}
-	$parent_item = $r[0];
 
 
 	/* How Diaspora performs comment signature checking:

mod/settings.php

@@ -114,6 +114,12 @@ function settings_post(&$a) {
 		check_form_security_token_redirectOnErr('/settings/featured', 'settings_featured');
 
 		call_hooks('feature_settings_post', $_POST);
+
+		if($_POST['dspr-submit']) {
+			set_pconfig(local_channel(),'system','diaspora_public_comments',intval($_POST['dspr_pubcomment']));
+			info( t('Diaspora Policy Settings updated.') . EOL);
+		}
+
 		build_sync_packet();
 		return;
 	}
@@ -648,18 +654,31 @@ function settings_content(&$a) {
 	}
 	if((argc() > 1) && (argv(1) === 'featured')) {
 		$settings_addons = "";
+
+		$o = '';
+		$diaspora_enabled = get_config('system','diaspora_enabled');
 		
 		$r = q("SELECT * FROM `hook` WHERE `hook` = 'feature_settings' ");
-		if(! count($r))
+		if((! $r) && (! $diaspora_enabled))
 			$settings_addons = t('No feature settings configured');
 
+		if($diaspora_enabled) {
+			$pubcomments = get_pconfig(local_channel(),'system','diaspora_public_comments');
+			if($pubcomments === false)
+				$pubcomments = 1;
+		}
+
 		call_hooks('feature_settings', $settings_addons);
-		
-		
+				
 		$tpl = get_markup_template("settings_addons.tpl");
 		$o .= replace_macros($tpl, array(
 			'$form_security_token' => get_form_security_token("settings_featured"),
 			'$title'	=> t('Feature Settings'),
+			'$diaspora_enabled' => $diaspora_enabled,
+			'$pubcomments' => $pubcomments,
+			'$dsprtitle' => t('Diaspora Policy Settings'),
+			'$dsprhelp' => t('Allow any Diaspora member to comment on your public posts.'),
+			'$dsprsubmit' => t('Submit Diaspora Policy Settings'),
 			'$settings_addons' => $settings_addons
 		));
 		return $o;

view/css/mod_settings.css

@@ -64,3 +64,17 @@ ul#settings-privacy-macros {
 	clear: both;
 	margin-bottom: 15px;
 }
+
+#dspr-pubcomment-label {
+    float: left;
+    width: 200px;
+    margin-bottom: 25px;
+}
+
+#dspr-pubcomment-checkbox {
+    float: left;
+}
+
+#settings-dspr-wrapper {
+    margin-top: 15px;
+}

view/tpl/settings_addons.tpl

@@ -1,10 +1,19 @@
 <div class="generic-content-wrapper-styled">
 <h1>{{$title}}</h1>
 
-
 <form action="settings/featured" method="post" autocomplete="off">
 <input type='hidden' name='form_security_token' value='{{$form_security_token}}'>
 
+{{if $diaspora_enabled}}
+<div class="settings-block">
+<button class="btn btn-default" data-target="#settings-dspr-wrapper" data-toggle="collapse" type="button">{{$dsprtitle}}</button>
+<div id="settings-dspr-wrapper" class="collapse well">
+<div id="dspr-settings-wrapper">
+<label id="dspr-pubcomment-label" for="dspr-pubcomment-checkbox">{{$dsprhelp}}</label>
+<input id="dspr-pubcomment-checkbox" type="checkbox" name="dspr_pubcomment" value="1" ' . {{if $pubcomments}} checked="checked" {{/if}} />
+</div><div class="clear"></div>
+<div class="settings-submit-wrapper" ><input type="submit" name="dspr-submit" class="settings-submit" value="{{$dsprsubmit}}" /></div></div></div>
+{{/if}}
 {{$settings_addons}}
 
 </form>