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I wonder if this decision can be used as a framework to kill extortion-based sites such as RipoffReport.com that Google has aided and abetted for more than a de

I wonder if this decision can be used as a framework to kill extortion-based sites such as RipoffReport.com that Google has aided and abetted for more than a decade. That would be wonderful.

djrogers 9y ago
>aided and abetted I'm not sure that phrase means what you think it does... Or perhaps you simply misunderstand what Google does?
- downandout 9y ago
  I realize that you were trying to be condescending, and you did a good job of it. However, Google has rewarded this site in particular with staggeringly high search rankings, which makes things especially sticky for the victims of the site. They have been on notice about this site and others like it for almost the entire time that they have existed [1], and have actively refused to even adjust their rankings - despite clear evidence that these sites are committing extortion. So yes, Google is aiding in the commission of the crime of extortion. If I were to file a complaint on the site about how someone named "djrogers" is a condescending jerk on HN that broke into my house and stole my wallet, that complaint would be posted on the site within minutes with no fact checking, and then Google would rank it almost instantly at the top of their results for "djrogers". One day you might Google your username and see this complaint in the #1 position, and you would probably contact the site saying that this is absolutely false. The site's owner, Ed Magedson, would personally respond essentially saying that he has been sued many times, that he has always won, and that the report isn't going anywhere...unless you pay thousands of dollars (allegedly the fees go to "investigate" the veracity of the claims in the report, after which it will be amended or removed if found to be entirely false - but only if you pay). He will make extensive reference specifically to how well his site ranks in Google, with the implied threat that if you do not pay, anyone who Googles your name will see this defamatory information (which they will). When you know that you are assisting in the commission of a crime, you are aiding and abetting. [1] https://moz.com/blog/the-anatomy-of-a-ripoff-report-lawsuit https://moz.com/blog/the-anatomy-of-a-ripoff-report-lawsuit

I wonder if this decision can be used as a framework to kill extortion-based sites such as RipoffReport.com that Google has aided and abetted for more than a decade. That would be wonderful.

djrogers 9y ago

>aided and abetted I'm not sure that phrase means what you think it does... Or perhaps you simply misunderstand what Google does?

downandout 9y ago
I realize that you were trying to be condescending, and you did a good job of it. However, Google has rewarded this site in particular with staggeringly high search rankings, which makes things especially sticky for the victims of the site. They have been on notice about this site and others like it for almost the entire time that they have existed [1], and have actively refused to even adjust their rankings - despite clear evidence that these sites are committing extortion. So yes, Google is aiding in the commission of the crime of extortion. If I were to file a complaint on the site about how someone named "djrogers" is a condescending jerk on HN that broke into my house and stole my wallet, that complaint would be posted on the site within minutes with no fact checking, and then Google would rank it almost instantly at the top of their results for "djrogers". One day you might Google your username and see this complaint in the #1 position, and you would probably contact the site saying that this is absolutely false. The site's owner, Ed Magedson, would personally respond essentially saying that he has been sued many times, that he has always won, and that the report isn't going anywhere...unless you pay thousands of dollars (allegedly the fees go to "investigate" the veracity of the claims in the report, after which it will be amended or removed if found to be entirely false - but only if you pay). He will make extensive reference specifically to how well his site ranks in Google, with the implied threat that if you do not pay, anyone who Googles your name will see this defamatory information (which they will). When you know that you are assisting in the commission of a crime, you are aiding and abetting. [1] https://moz.com/blog/the-anatomy-of-a-ripoff-report-lawsuit https://moz.com/blog/the-anatomy-of-a-ripoff-report-lawsuit