Is this against the rules?

I found a website yesterday on search engine optimisation that uses MY domain as it's case study (basically this entire site is based around the study of my domain). It seems to be fairly new and I'm sure it's been submitted to the ODP.. is this practice kosher?

I'm not sure what the question is here, so I'll take a few guesses and address them.

Are they lowlife worms? In my opinion, yes.

Can you do anything about it? I don't know, and this isn't the place to ask. I'm not seeing dmoz relevance in that one.

Will their site be listed in dmoz? The deeplink to the "case study", very unlikely. The main site, maybe. That will be decided on its merits if either they submit it or an editor runs across it and considers it a useful addition to a category.

On the other hand, if you're talking about the SEO site I just looked at, you're getting a free report. I know, that doesn't make it okay that they're using your site as their only work sample (especially if you never hired them for that purpose). Have you contacted them about it?

I'm a little puzzled at the vehemence of the expressed repugnance here. "A cat may look at a king..." Free speech and all: people review books, movies, scientific studies, legal pleadings, political actions, websites -- why ever not SEOs? For a user of SEO, such a study would be an invaluable insight into both the process of SEO in general and the thought processes of two prospective contractors in general.

Based on some of the SERP perps I've communicated with (um, make that 'futilely exchanged verbal symbols with'), the public badly needs more information about their qualifications, and this is one very effective way of giving such information.

And of course, _you're_ getting a free review. I don't see a downside for anybody. Even if you're a SEO whose inadeguacies are being revealed, you have an opportunity to learn what you badly need to know.

Swallow your pride (or at least take it out and set it aside gently for later consumption), rinse off your neurons, and read the review. You may either learn from the competition -- or make your own response showing how much better your subtle approach is (and show it to prospects, but DON'T post it!)