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Fight against problem results

         

markdidj

7:06 pm on Apr 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Here's some other things Google can ban to fight spam

<a>'s the innerHTML can be changed with JS, so the HTML page can have loads of keywords, then get replaced by "widget" onload.
<a href 's........ditto
<p>'s............ditto
<h1,2,3>'s .............ditto
<div>'s.............ditto

shall I go on...........

They could ban innerHTML I suppose.

Then there's overflow:hidden, and overflow-x:hidden, or are they already banned?

And there must be loads more ways of doing things......

I don't use spam, but I can think of a few ways to apply it.

Oaf357

7:11 pm on Apr 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Google doesn't crawl JS.

There was mention of overflow(s) in another thread but my opinion is that there is no way you can actually tell if someone is using them for spam or legitimate purposes.

spacewar

8:24 pm on Apr 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Don't sweat the 'spam', just build your own stuff your way

Macguru

8:41 pm on Apr 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



I agree with markdidj,

Google should just trash the whole database and show a blank page for any query.

jeremy goodrich

8:50 pm on Apr 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



Macguru, that is brilliant! Just brilliant!

Somebody write to Google quick - it's obvious their spam filled DB isn't searched, wanted, or used by anybody, anyway. :)

markdidj

10:16 pm on Apr 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



I'm just making the point.....
why stop hidden content when you can't stop the rest.
even using plain HTML, you can cancel the first division with another...like......

<div id="widgetInfo">widgets, great widget, irrelevent widget......spam</div>
<div id="widgetInfo">Proper widget info</div>

The second will over-ride the first if positioned absolutly ( I think even if you dont)

So, with all the possible methods of spam,mostly undetectable, why ban one that to some people is highly useful.

Maybe Google could detect if someone returned from a link straight back to Google, and offer a small form asking if the site was of any use or contained spam.

4eyes

10:33 pm on Apr 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



why stop hidden content when you can't stop the rest.

Where did you ever see them stop hidden content?

[added]
They go for 'intent to deceive'

Anon27

11:51 pm on Apr 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Hidden text? Can’t beat em join em!

I run a site for <snip>, and am sick of competing with spammers.

This present update my site shows page 3 – 4 for competitive keywords using what I thought were good and ethical techniques, but thus far not effective.

Now even several pages at MAJOR CA university that is very well known to the founders of Google is using hidden links, and not on just one page, but several that I have found so far!

Google says not a good idea, but I have to wonder.

Seems like a good idea to me, the linked to page is number #2 for a very popular search term.

Given that these particular university pages are a PR6 (main index page is a PR9) gives me the impression it would not be number #2 without the hidden link.

If that is not enough there are a further 3 hidden links on the page to various sites not related to <snip>.

Why hide them?

Perhaps using the PR6 to best effect

So my question is, can't you or can you use hidden text without fear of a penalty?

And GG, yes I have reported this, but nothing has happened.

[edited by: WebGuerrilla at 11:55 pm (utc) on April 14, 2003]

Anon27

12:56 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Oh, sorry about the <SNIP>'s, I should have known better...

steve128

1:02 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)



Annon
I have seen various sites over the last 12 months evermore resort to hidden links, like you say why hide them?
I can maybe see the point in keyword stuffing and hiding bundles of text but why hide a few links?

There must be some benefit I am not aware of, anybody know?

Oaf357

1:18 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



steve128,

Boosting PR of other pages. Improving search results by using good anchor text.

steve128

1:22 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)



Yes thank you Oaf357
I understand that, but why hide them?

Oaf357

1:34 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Depends.

Maybe you don't want people to actually click on them.

Maybe you don't want people to see an affiliation.

Perhaps the links are completely unrelated and seem out of place.

By using CSS overflows you could essentially create a link farm out of any web page.

Anon27

1:35 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



But Oaf357:

I have read the Code of Ethics for this university .EDU site and it clearly states no commercial post/links...

That is why they are hidden.

GrinninGordon

1:42 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)



Can anyone please help me.

I was trying top find a site on a certain canned pork product on Google, but can not find it because of all these email system sites, etc.

Why doesn't Google look at improving it's search returns?!

(sorry GG)

steve128

1:46 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)



Anon27
But that would be a violation of the university policy not google

Oaf357

1:49 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



steve128 is right in this case.

Anon27

1:51 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Steve: Agreed.

My real issue is that this has been reported to Google via the methods that GG suggest, but no justice.

Anon27

1:56 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Also Steve: If you would care to read the thread you would realize I am not talking about any old university if you get my drift...., I am speaking about an institution with very close ties to Google...

Oaf357

2:01 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Maybe they know something we don't.

mcavic

2:07 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



I was trying top find a site on a certain canned pork product on Google, but can not find it because of all these email system sites, etc.

Why doesn't Google look at improving it's search returns?!

Are you saying that Google should be able to read your mind when you type "spam"?

Besides, this listing comes up #3 when searching for Spam:

It's the Official SPAM Home Page. The one in good taste. Like SPAM
Luncheon Meat. Don't be shy. Explore. See if you can find ...

Anon27

2:56 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



I would just like to have an effective way to report things like this to Google.

Some sites break the rules and get away with it for months, when people like myself spend the money to do things right and I lose out.

1milehgh80210

3:24 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



<rant> In the 'real world' and on the net
People always want something else banned.
My suggestion- Enforce the rules/laws you ALREADY HAVE, and then you can move on to something else.
Otherwise no one takes you seriously...<rant/>

Oaf357

3:36 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Damn... tell us how you really feel.

GrinninGordon

7:29 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)



mcavic

No, thats just a supporters club. There is no real Spam on Google! Its all imitation Spam. If it does not say "Hormel" and you can't fry it, it aint the real SpamMoy.

Anon27

10:58 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



1Milehgh80210:

You are so correct.

steve128

11:23 am on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)



"Also Steve: If you would care to read the thread you would realize I am not talking about any old university if you get my drift...., I am speaking about an institution with very close ties to Google... "

any chance of a sticky I would like to see this

Anon27

1:23 pm on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Steve128:

Sticky sent with the links, what is your thoughts?

steve128

3:43 pm on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)



My thoughts.... first I need to enrol at a good uni, get a free webpage ...get a none worked for (or paid for)PR6, and then sell stuff.

It makes life a lot simpler -:

ircgeeks

4:32 pm on Apr 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



I have the same issue with what I think might be the same university... Unfortunately university’s have the worst track record for network security and enforcement of there policy’s. I would dare to say that 50% of all Denial of service attacks are orchestrated with university bandwidth. I will even go a step beyond that and say that University bandwidth is used to distribute 70% of pirated software.
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