Spammy Links added after acceptance

Oct 15, 2002

A competitor of mine has submitted HUNDREDS of geocities sites (all copy and paste type sites) into various categories of ODP (these sites are non commercial and have nothing to do with his line of business). After the submission has been accepted, he adds hundreds of spammy links at the bottom of these pages to his primary site. The links to his own primary site are completely off topic and are meant only for the spiders, namely Googlebot. These links from sites in ODP are giving him an unfair boost in the SE results.

ODP's guidelines state "Don't submit sites consisting largely of affiliate links". Wouldn't these be considered affiliate links? Here is an example: http://www.geocities.com/onetoomanyd/

giz · Oct 15, 2002

Please send a list of Categories and Sites to your favorite Meta Editor (don't use the dmoz staff feedback link - there is only 2 overworked people on the end of that), and this will be thoroughly looked into.

Oct 15, 2002

>>>favorite Meta Editor

I don't have one, any recommendations?

apeuro · Oct 15, 2002

Send your list to me. I'm already looking into this.

Oct 15, 2002

I don't see hundreds, but there were some others findable like that one... I look forward to seeing how many of these got into ODP.

old_crone · Oct 15, 2002

I don't see hundreds

Did you loose your glasses or get tired of scrolling down the page? <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" /> There are literally hundreds of links to a concert ticketing site.

Oct 15, 2002

I didn't find hundreds of spammy geocities sites, that's what I meant.

old_crone · Oct 15, 2002

ohhhhhhhhhh <img src="/images/icons/blush.gif" alt="" />

Khym_Chanur · Oct 15, 2002

Hmmm, a search on Google for sites linking to concertticketinsider.com lists 29 sites, all on Geocities.com, about 9 of which are in Dmoz, and all of which seem to include the link stuffing.

kartik · Oct 16, 2002

hi apeuro,

This might help you. It is form google linkto i have not checked in dmoz.org the "not listed" might be "listed" in dmoz

www.geocities.com/rezcheats/
not listed yet
www.geocities.com/shadowman2cheats/
Listed and removed
Games/Video_Games/Platform/Shadow_Man
www.geocities.com/darkcloudcheats
Listed in Games/Video_Games/Roleplaying/D/Dark_Cloud_Series/Dark_Cloud/Cheats_and_Hints
www.geocities.com/grandtheftauto3cheats/ digitalcable.html
not listed
www.geocities.com/devilmaycrycheats/
not listed
www.geocities.com/genma_onimusha/
not listed
www.geocities.com/grandtheftauto3cheats/
not listed
www.geocities.com/stateofemergencycheats/
Listed
Games/Video_Games/Action/State_of_Emergency
www.geocities.com/maximoghoststoglory/screenshots.html
not listed
www.geocities.com/maxpaynecheats/
not listed
www.geocities.com/metalgearsolid2cheats/
not listed
www.geocities.com/icocheats/
not listed
www.geocities.com/onetoomanyd/
not listed
www.geocities.com/starwarsrogueleader/
Listed in Games/Video_Games/Action/Space_Combat/Star_Wars_Games/Rogue_Squadron_Series/Rogue_Leader
www.geocities.com/devilmaycrycheats/walkthrough
not listed
www.geocities.com/virtuafighter4cheats/screenshots
not listed
www.geocities.com/gameboyadvancecheatcodes/
Listed in Kids_and_Teens/Games/Computer_and_Video/Nintendo/GameBoy/
www.geocities.com/virtuafighter4cheats/
not listed
www.geocities.com/bloodomen2cheats/
Listed Games/Video_Games/Roleplaying/L/Legacy_of_Kain_Series/Blood_Omen_2/
www.geocities.com/soulreaver2cheats/
not listed
www.geocities.com/silenthill2cheats/
not listed
www.geocities.com/fatalframecheats/
not listed
www.geocities.com/gcnmelee/
Listed in Games/Video_Games/Fighting/Super_Smash_Brothers_Series/Melee
www.geocities.com/spidermanmoviecheats/
Listed in Games/Video_Games/Action/Spider-Man_Series/Spider-Man_-_The_Movie/
www.geocities.com/maximoghoststoglory/
not listed
www.geocities.com/dynastywarriors3cheats/
not listed
www.geocities.com/playstation2cheatcodes/
not listed
www.geocities.com/halocheats/
not listed
www.geocities.com/computercheatss/time_crisis_2_cheats
Listed in Games/Video_Games/Shooter/Time_Crisis_Series/Time_Crisis_2

<img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />

Oct 16, 2002

apeuro · Oct 16, 2002

The owner of these websites was dealt with a while ago. As soon as the directory is back up and functioning, I'll go and delete the sites.

Oct 16, 2002

Thanks apeuro! That was fast!!!

old_crone · Oct 16, 2002

Kristopher77

You really should concider reporting this to yahoo's geocities. They have rules against this kind of abuse.

Oct 17, 2002

Do you know where I can contact them?

<added>Just found it! http://abuse.yahoo.com/</added>

old_crone · Oct 17, 2002

I think this will be better for geocities abuse.
Abuse Form
Just give them one url where they ask for it and put the rest in the text box, or tell them how to find all the others.

hutcheson · Oct 17, 2002

This is perhaps an unusual form, but IMO it still counts as "bait and switch" tactics -- the Directory equivalent to Search engine cloaking.

And our reaction to this is like Google's reaction to cloaking: Ban the site, and other sites related to the same parties, until the heat death of the universe.

apeuro · Oct 18, 2002

until the heat death of the universe.

Or for those of us who desperately desire to show we still remember physics - entropy.

Oct 18, 2002

Thanks, that is a better form. Just reported it.

Nov 13, 2002

Hi Apero,

As soon as the directory is back up and functioning, I'll go and delete the sites.

I am still seeing the sites in the Directory. Is it back up and running again?

Thanks again,
Kris

Spammy Links added after acceptance

giz

Member

apeuro

Member

old_crone

Member

old_crone

Member

Khym_Chanur

Member

kartik

apeuro

Member

old_crone

Member

old_crone

Member

hutcheson

apeuro

Member