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Mon, Dec 19 2011 01:11:59

Comparing Web Spam to Crime

A follow-up debate on Rand Fishkin's exchange with Aaron Wall

  1. badams
    Barry Adams@badams
    Firmly with @seobook on this one, @randfish's replies are exercises in dodging the question seomoz.org/blog/aaron-wal…
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  2. randfish
    Rand Fishkin@randfish
    @badams Which question(s) did you feel I didn't address? @seobook
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  3. badams
    Barry Adams@badams
    @randfish in the latter half of the convo you reply to @seobook's points with facetiousness, imho. Thought they deserved more.
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  4. randfish
    Rand Fishkin@randfish
    @badams About Klout scores? We were joking about it; don't think that's relevant to the substance of the argument. @seobook
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  5. badams
    Barry Adams@badams
    @randfish a specific example was @seobook's q on outing friends, which was left unaddressed.
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  6. randfish
    Rand Fishkin@randfish
    @badams Looks like I followed up on one of his other points w/ substance after the humor. Re: friends; I'd prob bring up privately @seobook
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  7. yoast
    Joost de Valk@yoast
    @badams @seobook @randfish my biggest issue with it is that some people talk about it as though it's honor among thieves, when some of us...
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  8. yoast
    Joost de Valk@yoast
    @badams @seobook @randfish don't view ourselves as thieves.
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  9. badams
    Barry Adams@badams
    @yoast @seobook @randfish nor do I. But I do think we have a common enemy, and I'm not for helping them out.
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  10. yoast
    Joost de Valk@yoast
    @badams @seobook @randfish I disagree. I'll happily admit to working WITH Google when it helps my clients. Spammers are the common enemy.
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  11. randfish
    Rand Fishkin@randfish
    @yoast 100% agree. Google and SEOs are friends; spammers are the common enemy. @badams @seobook
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  12. badams
    Barry Adams@badams
    @randfish @yoast @seobook so how do you feel about your 'friend' pushing SEO to the margins more & more?
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  13. yoast
    Joost de Valk@yoast
    @badams @randfish @seobook most of that is negative interpretation of Google's actions. I see quite the opposite happen too.
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  14. randfish
    Rand Fishkin@randfish
    @badams Depends on severity just like w/ any behavior. Friend sells weed? I worry and tell them. Friend assaults? Police. @seobook
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  15. badams
    Barry Adams@badams
    @randfish @seobook again you seem to equate web spam with crime. Not a good comparison, to be honest.
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  16. randfish
    Rand Fishkin@randfish
    @badams That's going off topic / ad hominem rather than addressing my point though isn't it :-) @seobook
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  17. badams
    Barry Adams@badams
    @randfish @seobook I'd say comparing spammers (who break only G's arbitrary rules) to criminals is ad hominem, but hey.
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  18. charliesaidthat
    Charlie Southwell@charliesaidthat
    @badams @randfish @seobook I think spammers could be considered criminals if they are making the web less usable, rather than just G's rules
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  19. badams
    Barry Adams@badams
    @charliesaidthat @randfish @seobook they're not making the web less usable. They're making Google less usable. Huge distinction.
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  20. charliesaidthat
    Charlie Southwell@charliesaidthat
    @badams @randfish @seobook depends on tactics. I have seen forums and blogs destroyed by spammers. I'd say THAT is less usable AND criminal.
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  21. badams
    Barry Adams@badams
    @charliesaidthat @randfish @seobook It's G's job to fight spammers - not mine. My job is to help client websites.
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  22. badams
    Barry Adams@badams
    @charliesaidthat @randfish @seobook you do realise that such spam only exists because Google's system makes it profitable? They created it.
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  23. JasonD
    Jason Duke@JasonD
    @charliesaidthat @badams @randfish @seobook Illegal trumps spam, so SEO aspect irrelevant if law broken.
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  24. badams
    Barry Adams@badams
    @JasonD @charliesaidthat @randfish @seobook fully agree with that.
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41
  25. charliesaidthat
    Charlie Southwell@charliesaidthat
    @JasonD @badams @randfish @seobook touche.
    Sun, Dec 18 2011 20:11:41

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Barry Adams

A Dutchman in Northern Ireland. Senior SEO and digital marketing guy @PierceComms. Internet fanatic, blogger, sceptic, Mensan, gamer, geek. Swears a lot.

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