Webwork - 12:39 pm on Oct 4, 2007 (gmt 0)

Woz, they're interesting questions - and certainly ones that should be of concern to ODP editors - but for all the years that people have been asking Matt Cutts of Google "Can another webmaster do anything to hurt my website?" has Matt or Google ever come right out with an unequivocal answer to the question? Clearly Google is a much bigger deal, to most people, and holds themselves out as the "do no evil" company, but have we ever received a definitive answer to the question?

Not that I've ever come across. Why not? That's not too hard to figure out, right, Woz?

Perhaps the better question is: "Are there safeguards in place to address the issue of people attempting to trash another person's website by repeatedly submitting it?" Probably the only answer that can be given is "Yes". (I sure hope that' the answer.)

By comparison, doesn't Google require an authoritative email address to respond before Google will act on a request submitted to their page removal tool? That seems like a reasonable solution.

Does DMOZ seek to have an authoritative email address confirm that the inclusion request was an authorized act?

Another problem with inclusion requests might be that an outside firm - such as the company's (latest) SEO firm - might be filing requests for inclusion at various directories without the direct knowledge of anyone at the company's email "contact" address.

All that said it's still a good question: How does DMOZ assure that any "bad behaviour" is actually being initiated "by the applicant" and not some other fool? What steps does DMOZ take to assure they are dealing with the real party in interest?

Some of this "basic quality assurance" should be public knowledge OR made public knowledge. Therefore, I, too would like at least the basic safeguards illuminated.

Does DMOZ employ an "authoritative email verification" procedure?

If not, why not?

If so, then that would go a long way towards fending off that particular evil.

[edited by: Webwork at 12:46 pm (utc) on Oct. 4, 2007]