Forum Moderators: phranque
While this is a nice feature for examing the competition, I'm not particularly happy about the competition learning my network of sites.
Could someone indicate where this information is being displayed? I've gone to Alexa's page for several of my sites and cannot see what people are referring to.
It's based on reserve IP. Alexa just lists all sites which share the same IP address with your site.
Using MSN's function to check which other sites share the same IP as I do, way more appear, so there's probably something else to it.
Alexa just lists all sites which share the same IP address with your site.
Ah, this is great backup for all those past topics discussing Shared IP vs. Dedicated IP.
A lot of people are seeing sites linked to theirs that are on different IPs.
maybe the most effective way would be to send a cease and desist for each site and then work from there.
Ipogram, that's not true. I did a search for my own sites and they were indeed owned by me (with the exception of one site).
Using MSN's function to check which other sites share the same IP as I do, way more appear, so there's probably something else to it.
Yes you are right. I checked some sites which use whois protection service from one company and maybe it is based on whois records.
So if you *intend* on suing, I suggest you give notice and make sure you have a good record of giving notice.
I also think you have to prove a malicous interpretation of the facts, which might be hard here.
Honest mistake and all that.
If they don't fix this (doubt they can) after getting yelled at by everyone here, then I think you can sue.
IANAL, but I think the most you can do at this point is send out ceast and desist notices.
It's based on reserve IP.
It's not. Alexa is not showing all of my sites but the ones it is showing are hosted at different companies. They don't have the same IP.
Don't know if it really bothers me other than if I had a visitor check Alexa it would be a bit confusing as to why I own all those different sites since they are not related.
Also, some sites that I bought about 6 months ago are still showing as owned by the previous owners. The info is quite dated.
It's not IP based I have other sites connected that are on completely different IP's.
Same here. Different IPs, different hosting services, different regions.
Don't know if it really bothers me other than if I had a visitor check Alexa it would be a bit confusing as to why I own all those different sites since they are not related.
Luckily, that's unlikely.
I haven't even looked, but I'm still disturbed by this entire thread.
The inaccurate and/or paid-to-be private and/or potentially defamatory information Alexa is serving up at this moment is actually part of the "Alexa Web Search Platform (Beta) [tinyurl.com]" a.k.a. "Alexa Web Information Service (AWIS) [tinyurl.com]" a.k.a. "Amazon Web Services [tinyurl.com]" (AWS).
--
1.) SEARCHING ALEXA
The "Alexa Web Information Service FAQs [tinyurl.com]" contain info about browsing, searching, crawling, etc. , including:
Q: How does Alexa get contact info for sites?
The site owners, addresses, and phone numbers shown in the Alexa service are aggregated directly from InterNIC, Whois.net, Ripe.net, Apnic.net and other sites that are in the business of registering domain names. This domain registration information is publicly available to any Web user. E-mail addresses may be gathered from the actual Web site or from domain registration information.
Does it matter that the information they're publishing is, in many cases, WRONG?
Apparently not.
Q: How relevant are the results of the Alexa Web Search?
The Alexa Web Search is relatively new and we're constantly working to improve the relevance of its results. We have found it to be most useful in data mining operations and in backfills, where the large index can be leveraged.
Does it matter that the information they're publishing is, in many cases, WRONG?
Apparently not.
--
2.) SELLING ALEXA
The "Alexa Web Search Platform [websearch.alexa.com]" is selling access to, compilation of, and repackaging of their crawls -- our sites. From the FAQ [websearch.alexa.com]:
"The Alexa Web Search Platform provides public access to the vast web crawl collected by Alexa Internet. Users can search and process billions of documents -- even create their own search engines -- using Alexa's search and publication tools..."
In short, it appears that the content they gather from our sites -- WRONG or not -- becomes the content they sell. It even becomes the stuff of which other people use to compile and offer their own search services. "Take a Tour [websearch.alexa.com]" and see what the imaginary "Edgar" does. Then realize it's real: "Camera Image Search [photos.alexa.com]."
Does it matter that the information they're publishing is, in many cases, WRONG?
(Does it matter that the content they're re-selling is, in many cases, COPYRIGHTED?)
Apparently not.
Is it just the sites I checked or are they all limited to just 5 websites?
The limit seems to be 11 as the webmaster owns far more than 11 sites. The information was also all correct, all 11 are owned by him.
This is quite alarming and raises serious privacy issue. If you run a serious business website do you want your clients and visitors to easily find out you also run a marketing site selling kids widgets, lyrics, ringtones, gaming or a dating website?
The fact that Alexa claims someone is the owner Porn site when clearly they are not, not even the registrar, not affiliated with at all. Then that is what in the legal world they call slander.
And since it was asked, I will answer
What can you sue for?
Slander n. oral defamation, in which someone tells one or more persons an untruth about another which untruth will harm the reputation of the person defamed. Slander is a civil wrong (tort) and can be the basis for a lawsuit. Damages (payoff for worth) for slander may be limited to actual (special) damages unless there is malicious intent, since such damages are usually difficult to specify and harder to prove. Some statements such as an untrue accusation of having committed a crime, having a loathsome disease, or being unable to perform one's occupation are treated as slander per se since the harm and malice are obvious, and therefore usually result in general and even punitive damage recovery by the person harmed. Words spoken over the air on television or radio are treated as libel (written defamation) and not slander on the theory that broadcasting reaches a large audience as much if not more than printed publications.
Source:
[legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com...]
This is a USA legal definition but I am guessing that is where the physical servers live. If not then there may not be anyway to take depending on where the servers do live.
It's not IP based I have other sites connected that are on completely different IP's. Best I can figure is it's based on physical address, However the addresses don't have to be an exact match to be associated.
That is my opinion as well. After going through all my sites I have some of my own connected, and the only thing that ties them is the same address with the registrar, and on others that are tied to sites unrelated to my own, it is based merely on City and Zip Code and nothing more. Not the same host, same IP, or even same registrar. So it is address based as suggested by some, but not necessarily exact match.
This whole defamation thing requires some sort of malice, "knowledge that the information was false" or that it was published "with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not."
Definition 1 doesn't apply, and if you say definition 2 does, well when you click the domain link, which redirects to that domain's information, the contact information is not the same, so then people will realize that information is wrong. Alongside the fact that anyone who does a whois lookup will see that you don't own the domain. Yes the data is inaccurate in several places, and yes they should fix it. But this whole sue attitude, give me a break. Besides, how exactly are you being defamed?
As for the whole who is information listed when it's currently private, you had that data available publicly at one point in time. That's the only way they have it.
And guess what, you can have it updated.
[alexa.com...]
As for the first post, I'm really tickled. You want to be able to look into the competition, but you're concerned about them looking into you. That is to laugh.
I don't think it's a good tool, considering the lack of accuracy it has. Perhaps if it's improved and more accurate I think it would be better.
The fact that Alexa claims someone is the owner Porn site when clearly they are not, not even the registrar, not affiliated with at all. Then that is what in the legal world they call slander.
I have to agree. Alexa has published to their website that I own a pornography website, which I do not. Does this mean I can publish on my website that Alexa is directly responsible for the 9-11 terrorist bombing because the pisspoor whois algorithm I created has decided that they own the website that has claimed responsibility for the bombing.
.
[edited by: john_k at 6:46 am (utc) on Mar. 16, 2006]
[edited by: Woz at 6:50 am (utc) on Mar. 16, 2006]
[edit reason] Tidying Up [/edit]
From the BBC.
[news.bbc.co.uk...]
Carlos M Rojas, 62, had been told the money was on its way, but it had been wrongly posted to Carlos G Rojas, 29, who worked in the same office building.
Nice story. But on the OP I still hope Alexa removes this feature. In the meantime I am going through all the domains I know seeing who 'may' own what.
ie. whois1@example.com whois2@example.com
If they are basing it on the server ip well then that can get really weird.
So it must be email address. I'm off to change all of mine right now.
update: wait, no it's not email, it has to be physical mailing address
because I've got some domains registered at different registrars with different hosting servers and they are shown together. Okay, well time to use fake apartment numbers then.
