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Google Targets Fake "Download" and "Play" Buttons (torrentfreak.com)
AmiMoJo writes: Google says it will go to war against the fake 'download' and 'play' buttons that attempt to deceive users on file-sharing and other popular sites. According to a new announcement from the company titled 'No More Deceptive Download Buttons', Google says it will expand its eight-year-old Safe Browsing initiative to target some of the problems highlighted above. 'You may have encountered social engineering in a deceptive download button, or an image ad that falsely claims your system is out of date. Today, we're expanding Safe Browsing protection to protect you from such deceptive embedded content, like social engineering ads,' the company says.
How would Google target them
You know that 20% of free project time Google employees get? Yeah, now it's looking for download button images.
It's not even like they lose anything as they only tell the Google workers that were surfing porn anyway to save off URL's as they browse.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
SOME!?
More like nearly ALL!
I've seen download sites for FOSS software have a lot of this crap. It gets confusing for me as an IT professional sometimes to figure out the legit download links, I can't imagine how normal computer users manage to navigate the hazardous waters long enough to actually get a legit non virus laden download. Then you have even legit downloads from massive companies filled with toolbars (like adobe reader and flash).
Like shark infested water. Hopefully this move will do some good
You're right. We need cross-platform compatibility for malware. Who's with me?
They can start with Cnet's Download.com, nothing but ad banners with identical looking green "download" buttons.
-==- Buy a Mac and leave me alone!
I agree. There are tons of fake download links on otherwise reputable sites, there are gray area sites like TPB where you have to be careful what you click, and there are tons of fake download sites where none of the links are legitimate at all. Try Googling for "[random device] driver" and you get many dozens of bullshit SEO'd sites where all the links point to some EXE full of who-knows-what. I hope they're going to combat all three categories.
As an aside, I wonder if SourceForge will get penalized...
Thanks to the War on Drugs, it's easier to buy meth than it is to buy cold medicine!
This is probably the reason why Google is doing this. They realize that more and more people are using ad blockers because of fake download buttons and malware serving ads. As an ad provider themselves, Google is doing this to help their bottom line. It will also help the bottom line of other advertisers, and also help to bring a little bit of trust back to the advertisers.
I run a site that offers downloads of files. I have advertising on that site. A large number of those ads, obviously context-sensitive, display fake "Download" buttons on them.
Guess who is my ad provider? Google AdSense.
Google, heal thyself.