smart tags

who's responsible for tagging my site without permission

[okephoto]

I've just had someone add smart tags to my web site advertising my hosting services. Whenever you click on certain words like "hosting" or $15 domains" you are redirected to their domain selling site. This is a fairly large company I believe. Who is responsible for putting these tags on my site? Is it only on my computer or on others as well? Is this legal?

Many thanks

[Drastic]

It sounds like you have recently downloaded software that has some new "features." This is common with some filesharing apps and is commonly referred to as scumware or theftware. Keywords are linked on pages you view and clicks are redirected to sites for profit of the owners of the free software that gets downloaded.

You may have to uninstall the app altogether.

[okephoto]

That is exactly what happened. I downloaded a screensaver yesterday and it also installed TopText which created the smart tags. Gone now.

How can this be legal? According to this article [searchenginewatch.com...] there may be millions of people that will get these links when they visit my site.

I think the internet is going to hell quickly.

[DaveAtIFG]

This thread [webmasterworld.com] may provide an interesting read for you. It finishes with a fairly effective method to protect your pages too.

[Filipe]

I think the internet is going to hell quickly.

First of all, its the World Wide Web that's going to hell quickly. Big difference between the Web and the Net.

Secondly, it's been progressively going to hell since its (the Web's) inception. As with any medium, people try to find ways to abuse it. Unfortunately, the Web offers millions more avenues of intrusion - and many of them not necessarily illegal - but tricky nonetheless.

[richlowe]

There is scum everywhere, on and off the net (and web). It's annoying, I know, but all you can do is take as effective countermeasures as you can, learn and stay smart, and always understand "there ain't no such thing as a free lunch".

Richard Lowe