ODP Editor

How do I report this one?

[gethan]

Earlier this year the category in which my main commercial site is listed was heavily spammed by a new editor - promotional language, multiple listings etc etc. I reported it to a senior editor who was really good about it tidied up the category. It took him over half an hour it was search a mess.

The category is pretty low level but there are three levels below it.

Now three months later - theres another new editor... and this time its personal and subtle.

Sites that should be in the levels below have been moved down. Great.

My site was lucky enough to have the most relevant keyphrase in its description. All the most popular keywords have been replaced by their never searched on alternatives.

A new site (one of the spam ones from the first time) is back with the most popular keyphrase included. The site is actually a subdirectory of a directory, and only contains affiliate links.

My site was moved to one of the sub levels ... but then put back, obviously didn't want to provoke to much interest.

All this happened in one day - very quickly ... not the actions of a newbie editor.

I wrote to the editor in question and politely pointed out my concerns - no response. My next step was to mail the editor from the category above... but is all this talk of keywords and circumstancial evidence going to have any effect?

Its not a blatent abuse as last time.

I'm a little worried about the effects when google updates ... how much weight is given to the ODP description?

My site is probably going to be fine ... it now has many other links and a descent page rank. Will it affect rankings elsewhere?

Has this happened to anyone else?

I'm an editor for my home town - which is the only reason that I've been able to piece this together. What would be my options had I not been an ODP editor?

Thanks for any advice ... and for listening to my rant :)

[Mike_Mackin]

1) You could ask the top cat editor to take a look.

2) Go to [dmoz.org...] and find the catagory on the left side ie: Business, Computer etc.
Ask if there is a catagory/sub catagory reorganization in process since you have noticed recent unusual activity.

When someone responds "no"
Send them an internal Email and ask them to take a look.

>What would be my options had I not been an ODP editor?
#1 above

[ebgreen]

also try [e-mail]

[kctipton]

Since you're an ODP editor, I am surprised you don't know to forward your findings to one of the meta editors (and I'm one of them). Staff is also a good choice.

[Laisha]

>also try [e-mail]

Although you might want to cc staff, if history is any judge, emailing JUST staff is probably not going to get results any time soon. If you think about the number of emails staff gets, it makes sense that the backlog alone would preclude much being done to address your concern.

Mr. Mackin hit on what I would suggest.

[gethan]

> Since you're an ODP editor,

Just a smalltime editor -- just a hobby, wanted to see my home town get a few of its sites listed. Only one of the 60 or so is associated with me. I'd like to help out more but I get rejected when requesting new cats ... I think my bookmarks were a mess.

Thanks for the advice ... I'm going to try the forum route. Is this kind of abuse taken seriously ... or even considered as abuse?