Recently I posted an entry on whether the recent update in Google’s search algorithm left the door open to mischievous tricks being employed by SEOs (search engine optimisers) to harm their competitors. (See "Florida Update Raises Foul Play Concerns" below.)
On a bulletin board frequented by a spokesperson for the company (who goes by the username “GoogleGuy”), I made a similar point: "GoogleGuy's silence on the subject of blackhats now having the power to sink competitors has been ominous."
GoogleGuy broke his silence and responded to the message, reaffirming the search engine’s pre-Florida position that “webmasters can't really sabotage other people's sites -- that wouldn't be fair.”
Officially, then, Google is still sticking to its fairness policy. Many small business, however, will ask whether its punishing of their sites for certain keywords and phrases is consistent with this fairness principle.
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I had a strange dream the other night that someone invented an application called 'Google-noise' which allowed a user to generate spurious google search results in order to protect themselves from being googled......perhaps it already exists? Or perhaps I need to stay off the herpal tea?
Smoke,
That may not be such a bad idea! Project "smoke-screen" ;) ?