Linkfarm, guilt by association?

[raidersfan]

Hi All,

I have been lurking here for awhile and have recently started a new website. My old website had a PR problem that I attributed to the past use of the LinkTopics link farm.

I have traded a link for my new site with a site that I have just noticed is using what appears to be a similar link farm. The homepage and link page of the site have a PR of 6. Will linking to a otherwise legitimate site that uses a link farm incur a penalty?

Should I;
a) remove my link to this site
b) remove my link to this site and ask for removal of my link from them and if so should I tell them why?
c) monitor their PR and remove the link if it drops

Any guidance on this will be greatly appreciated.

[korkus2000]

I think all are choices are valid. I maybe more likely to do b then a. Bad neighborhoods are always a concern. I would monitor the PR myself.

[rytis]

Hi, you say "similar link farm" - if this means that the set of links on page is not unique (aka FFA) - then it has no value as SE's ignore dupe content. If it is unique enough and has at least PR4, and is not part of any linkpopularity system - I would not worry.

Of course there are many more issues in link exchange, discussed a lot here on WebmasterWorld, but I feel that stamp "link farm" is widely misused.

Rytis

[raidersfan]

In this case I'm talking about the "Linkstoyou" program where a page of links are uploaded by members and then linked to from all site pages.