Everyone on the web knows how frustrating it is to perform a search and find websites gaming the search results. These websites can be considered webspam - sites that violate Google’s Webmaster Guidelines and try to trick Google into ranking them highly. Here at Google, we work hard to keep these sites out of your search results, but if you still see them, you can notify us by using our webspam report form. We’ve just rolled out a new, improved webspam report form, so it’s now easier than ever to help us maintain the quality of our search results.
Interesting that the new interstitial page already breaks things down into categories, each of which goes to a different team. You can see the page I'm talking about here: [google.com...]
bwnbwn
5:19 pm on Aug 9, 2011 (gmt 0)
Hmm Ted you click on all the links? Some are for spam some links go to information pages. it is very intresting though the breakdown. You got to wonder what average Joe knows a site is buying links other than a webmaster turning in competition.
engine
5:26 pm on Aug 9, 2011 (gmt 0)
Reporting malware is a good way to help protect us all.
Sgt_Kickaxe
5:36 pm on Aug 9, 2011 (gmt 0)
Google's got some sly built in too, they know that spammers will do what they must to knock down competitors. I'd bet dollars to donuts that the 'reporter' of spam is also considered a potential abuser.
Google will put ALL data to use, even the stuff you're not asking them to. Still, I'm all for anything that keeps spam from floating though I'm too busy to police the web for google.
greenleaves
10:24 pm on Aug 9, 2011 (gmt 0)
Since I was in grade school I've said it, and I'll say it again; I HATE snitches.
CainIV
12:32 am on Aug 10, 2011 (gmt 0)
Window-dressing at best.
They need to actually consider and actively pursue spammers from reports. Dressing up a form and adding more categories does nothing to address the actual ranking websites with 50 000 spam blog comments from non relevant topics.
Not trying to come across as a downer here, but I need to see real action before I am going to commend the visual changes. :)
kapow
11:11 am on Aug 10, 2011 (gmt 0)
I receive 2 or 3 emails per day offering blog spamming services e.g. "We'll post links to your site on hundreds of blogs...". Web spamming is global business now, Google must ramp up their defence.
AnkitMaheshwari
11:26 am on Aug 10, 2011 (gmt 0)
@kapow I guess all of us do receive these email regularly.
I wonder if some of these guys also send mails to Google to offer these services...
piatkow
1:02 pm on Aug 10, 2011 (gmt 0)
I wonder if some of these guys also send mails to Google to offer these services...
Considering that the spam will be bot driven, very likely.
brotherhood of LAN
1:07 pm on Aug 10, 2011 (gmt 0)
Window-dressing at best.
To be fair, and Google's intentions aside; they're going to receive 10's of thousands of reports a day (at a guess), many of which will have to be taken with a huge pinch of salt.
jimbeetle
1:26 pm on Aug 10, 2011 (gmt 0)
Okay, as usual I'm confused. Google always talks about its users but this webspam form is only directed to webmasters. No announcement on any of its general blogs, hosted under webmaster tools. Why?
Shaddows
2:56 pm on Aug 10, 2011 (gmt 0)
Users wont necessarily recognise "spam" versus a crap site, whereas we spend an inordinate amount of time complaining about it.
Plus, as mentioned, its just as important data-wise to know who does the complaining, how often and why, as it is to have a list of suspect sites.
piatkow
3:39 pm on Aug 10, 2011 (gmt 0)
There is a feedback link at the bottom of the SERPS which is designed for not techies to report things to Google. Basically to report scams, malware and p*rn
