REALLY BAD: Editor Profiles being Used to Promote Editor's Affiliate Sites

[Guest jbgilbert]

If anybody at ODP cares about this problem, they are welcome to contact me and I will provide an example.

[flicker]

An editor profile is just a personal page. As far as I know we're allowed to link to any site we like, make political statements, endorse a product, or say anything else we care to there, so long as it's not expressly illegal.

[Guest wrathchild]

If, however, you believe it is abuse, you can report it at http://report-abuse.dmoz.org/ and it will be investigated.

[tuisp]

But please read http://report-abuse.dmoz.org/faq.html before submitting a report in order to know what we consider and what we don't consider abuse...

[Alucard]

I obviously don't know the editor to which you are referring, but many editors will have links to sites they are affiliated with in order to declare them, so that they can be seen to be impartial.

[bobrat]

Yes, it's one of those damned if you do, dammed if you don't things. By placing the links there, it seems like the editor is getting a free PR link, but maybe s/he's just trying to be honest in his affiliations.

[RobertParker]

I don't think an editor's profile page is too much of a marketing tool - not quite on the scale of Google Adwords or anything just yet. Is it really a problem? Don't think so

[dogbows]

Not to mention the fact that any member, not just editors, can do the same thing!

[bobrat]

I think they were referring to the editor profile such as

 

http://dmoz.org/profiles/bobrat.html

 

not the Profile or signature at the bottom of the posts in thiar forum

 

some editors have their sites in those profiles, not just the lists of categories

[vbman]

Not to mention the fact that any member' date=' not just editors, can do the same thing![/b'][/color"]

Doesn't do any good here. Only registered members can see the profiles on this site. I doubt the spiders will register to view them.

[dogbows]

I think that it was understood all along that only members could view the profiles. But all members do have a profile not just editors, even if they are not as extensive as editor profiles. I have my site listed in my member profile. So I think my previous post is valid.

[vbman]

What you are implying, at least it seemed that way, is that you would get a boost in page rank by having the link. You won't since only members can see the link. If the link isn't accessible to spiders, which it isn't, then it does not benefit your site. Beleive it or not very few members look at the profile pages here. My logs show me that.

[dogbows]

No I was not implying that at all, and I did not believe that the original starter of this thread was either. But maybe I was wrong about that. And just to set the record straight, I was trying to imply just the opposite. I do not agree with the original starter of this thread. My first post in this thread was meant to support or be an additional post to all the previous editors' posts. I think that jbgilbert is probably a disgruntled site submitter who is trying to find a way to get even. I personally enjoy reading the editor profiles, and visiting their websites as well. So, I guess maybe I do not fit as an average member. I love the forum, but really dislike the gripers, and complainers, and all that think the ODP owes them a listing just because they have a website. What I was trying to say and in retrospect now should have said is, "What's the big deal jb, get over it!!! Hope this clears up my stand a little, but I guess only jb knows exactly what he meant by his first post. Sorry vb I haven't gotten around to your profile yet. There really are a lot of you. Takes time. lol

[vbman]

I understand what you are saying now.

Takes me a while sometimes .

A little late, but, welcome to the forum.

[dogbows]

Thank you! I did a little editing on the last post, trying to make it a little clearer. I do not always express myself very well. Sorry I did not get it done before you replied. Can you tell I love the font tools? lol

[vbman]

The post editor is favorite of many.

[motsa]

No I was not implying that at all, and I did not believe that the original starter of this thread was either...I guess only jb knows exactly what he meant by his first post.

JBGilbert thinks that there is some kind of abuse involved in editors being able to post their own site links on their dmoz.org profile (he does believe there is a PR boost or some such thing from it). The truth of the situation (that it isn't abuse) has been explained to him in detail but I don't think he quite believes it. Then again, he didn't come back to this thread after his initial post so perhaps he does. ;-)

[dogbows]

Thanks Motsa! So now we do know what he really meant, but I like to think the reason he did not come back is because he got no response from other members! My sister says I have an obsession with color. Do you think she might be right?

[Guest wrathchild]

Well, my little site has a PR of 0, so my editor profile is obviously boosting my pagerank by upwards of 30%.

 

Feh! Why do I feel like this is less a "someone is being unethical" and more of a "someone is exploiting something that I can't" scenario?

[cafeRg]

why cant spiders see the profiles ..do you have a NOINDEX tag there? ..i am askin this for my own poetry boards ..i want the spiders to index my boards..

 

and too add my 2 cents in here ..this is the internet its all about links ...linkin is good for each other ..you guys and gals (editors) work hard ..whats wrong with a little bonus.. (even if it was a bonus)

[motsa]

You can't view member profiles unless you're logged in. Therefore, spiders can't access them. That was deliberate.

[Janeth]

I would think if someone is trying to help other people for free they have every right to list there own sites. I think it is sad that people get upset about things that really do not matter.

[Gimpy]

It isn't so much promoting, who wastes their times reading editor profiles. We are some of the most boring people on earth.