Google De-indexes Talk.Origins, Won't Say Why UPDATED

J. J. Ramsey writes "Talk.Origins is an archive with thousands of pages exposing creationist pseudoscience. Rather mysteriously, Google pulled the plug on its search engine, giving only the vague reason: 'No pages from your site are currently included in Google's index due to violations of the webmaster guidelines.' This was apparently triggered by a recent cracking of the site that added 'hidden links to non-topical sites,' but Google won't say just what the violations were. Talk.Origins webmaster Wesley R. Elsberry believes that this Google policy harms honest webmasters." From the article: "My mission, whether I liked it or not, was to find and fix whatever problem the [Talk.Origins Archive] might have, with no guidance as to what the problem was and nothing at all about where to start looking... I was extremely lucky. The damage to my site was limited and in the first place that I happened to look. Other honest webmasters might not be so lucky. They may have to undertake an arduous process of vetting pages, essentially having to second-guess the mind of the cracker in trying to locate a problem that Google knows the exact location of." Thanks to an alert reader who sent in Matt's blog posting about how Google handles hacked sites.

Comments

Re:Words are Meaningless - Public Utility

[sumdumass]

It is just the natural evolution of things. These guys act like some devine intervention came about and made google and all it's joys therefore creating a right for them to exist somewere. (pun intended)

Google has no Obligations outside what it publicly and contractualy claim to have. And if it seems neccesary to change those obligations, then be it.

The complaint can really be translated to: Something happened outside my control and the site was hacked, then ran against some other site's rules and I'm pissed because that other site didn't tell me were to start looking to fix my site. As it turns out, that omission was a godsend because it not only made them verify thier code, It made them not gloss over the fact that someone or something hacked them and something else needed to be done. Maybe this is just a curse of using a microsoft server or maybe it some prankster who achived a goal. Maybe in the end, thier site and services will be up longer, more acurate to how they wish it to be viewed as well as actualy saying what they wish it to say. You could easily sneak a few words in their articles to make them look completly insane and remove any influence over the reader that they were wishing to leave.

In my opinion, Google has done them a favor. They should look at the bright side of it instead of having a "you mean i had to work?" additude.

Re:Words are Meaningless

[grammar fascist]

I think the whole problem here is the way the guy is carrying out his campaign. He has a legitimate issue, but he is taking things out of turn.

Crusaders aren't generally known for being level-headed.

"I'm very sorry this happened, and I know it usually takes two weeks, but I believe this site is important for public education, particularly at this time of year, could you please re-index my site?"

What, exactly, is so insidious about Christmas? Really? I haven't even seen a manger scene this year yet. Does the Christmas season really fire up them fundamentalists? Or is that Easter, or Halloween?

Sorry. Your blatant Christians-are-all-stupid-idiots attitude was a bit too much for lil' ol' me.

Re:Synopsis

[nacturation]

Either way, his view (and anyone's that believes in evolution) of origins is no less faith-based than the person who believes in creation, and consequently, is no less relgious (despite hysterical claims to the contrary). Not this crap again. Look, we can observe evolution today. It's a phenomenon that you can study and measure. Evolution is simply a change in species over time and you can run some experiments to observe it if you choose. Can I observe creation? Of course not... that happened billions of years ago. Since you can't do any creation experiments all you're left with is faith.

Re:The problem

[fredclown]

And thus starts the Creationist flame war. I'm utterly amazed at the complete intolerance towards Christians these days. We live in a worlds where the term "tolerance" is thrown left and right and people are supposed to respect each other ... except if you're a Christian. Then you're some kind of moron ... because obviously all Christians are complete imbeciles and can't think for themselves .. despite the fact that there are many extremely bright people who claim Christianity. I fear for the future, because this is exactly how the holocaust started. People ridiculed the Jews and looked down on them until one day a certain guy had the idea that he would just do away with them ... and the world looked on. Makes me wonder what will happen to the Christians in the future.

Re:Synopsis

[NMerriam]

What came before the big bang? That question is meaningless, as time did not exist. So you have a few options, only one of them feasible.

WTF? You ask a question, admit the question is meaningless, and then go on for several paragraphs saying that because we can't provide an answer, that proves God exists.