MSN Admits News Bot Scruff

[Brett_Tabke]

[washingtonpost.com...]

Another key difference between the Microsoft and Google services is that Google's story-selection formula doesn't favor any particular new source. MSN Newsbot, by contrast, gives favorable placement to articles from Microsoft's own MSNBC.com news site -- late Friday afternoon, half of Newsbot's 22 front-page stories came from MSNBC.com.

[iamlost]

Understandable: it is after all the MSNBC News NEWSBOT (beta).

The notice is quite up front:

Dear Reader:
Our newsbot is an automated test scan of the Net's most current headlines and is designed to enhance the breadth of MSNBC.com. Your feedback is welcome.

They are marketing their own flavour all wrapped up with an appearance of inclusion. Business as usual.

Note: Unable to read story: registration requires too much personal information and a Privacy/User Agreement I find totally unacceptable.

[Teknorat]

Use bugmenot.com to get around the post's invasive registration process.

[ToneLeMoan]

That bugmenot.com is a fantastic idea - thanks for the link.

Oh and hi all - WebmasterWorld newbie here - most useful forum I've ever read for ANY subject :)

Sorry - not much of a first post I know.

[danieljean]

Heh... a google news search for "Another key difference" got a registration-bypassing link :)

[sonny]

That bugmenot.com, very cool.
Thanks for the tip