New Google note tool

[rpm]

New Google tool

Google unveiled a new tool on Wednesday which allows notes and comments to be posted alongside Web pages for others to read.

 

[Pixual]

Yet another reason to hate this company.

So how do site owners protect themselves from abuse by trolls and kooks who don't like your site? The same way they protect people who use their Google Groups usenet interface to spread libel and smear it across the internet, no doubt. By doing nothing.

It is my express desire to see this company dismantled and removed from the internet forever. They have caused more problems than they have done anything else.

 

[CathJ]

Yet another reason to hate this company.

So how do site owners protect themselves from abuse by trolls and kooks who don't like your site? The same way they protect people who use their Google Groups usenet interface to spread libel and smear it across the internet, no doubt. By doing nothing.

Blaming Google for things you don't like on usenet is like blaming firefox for the things you don't like on the web.

Usenet is the protocol, google groups is just one the many ways to view it. Same as firefox is just one of the many ways you can view a website.

 

[tco21]

If there's an option for site owners to deactivate it then cool, otherwise it could become a problem. Aside from the negative aspects, I think it's a good idea.

 

[kilos]

Another Google installation for Sidewiki

 

[Lightscribe]

I can just see people using it for advertising.

 

[Pixual]

Blaming Google for things you don't like on usenet is like blaming firefox for the things you don't like on the web.

Usenet is the protocol, google groups is just one the many ways to view it. Same as firefox is just one of the many ways you can view a website.

You clearly don't know what you are talking about.

It is possible for anybody to sign up to Google Groups and use their system to flood usenet with libellous nonsense about anyone they dislike on any groups they subscribe to. Google will not remove any content posted to usenet. This is their policy.

So, what happens when trolls and kooks decide to smear you on usenet using Google Groups as the way in? The posts that they make are picked up by many site owners who import them to their forums using any number of scripts. The libel is then spread from usenet to the web and is perpetuated there.

You take a person with an uncommon name (like mine) who you dislike and you start spreading all sorts of vicious lies and untruths about them on usenet using Google groups. People looking at you for things like jobs or contracts search your name using Google and what do they find? Well... use your imagination. Do they believe it? Unfortunately if it's controversial enough for them to be in doubt they would sooner pass you over than take the risk.

This has happened to me personally.

Along comes this Google Notes rubbish and those same kooks and trolls now have the ability to add rubbish information about your websites that you can do NOTHING about except plead with them to remove it. Given their policy on groups I seriously doubt that they will moderate any notes made about websites that are on the net.

If anything I hope that the internet community will use common sense and reject this concept completely.

 

[arf9999]

You clearly don't know what you are talking about.

It is possible for anybody to sign up to Google Groups and use their system to flood usenet with libellous nonsense about anyone they dislike on any groups they subscribe to. Google will not remove any content posted to usenet. This is their policy.

So, what happens when trolls and kooks decide to smear you on usenet using Google Groups as the way in? The posts that they make are picked up by many site owners who import them to their forums using any number of scripts. The libel is then spread from usenet to the web and is perpetuated there.

You take a person with an uncommon name (like mine) who you dislike and you start spreading all sorts of vicious lies and untruths about them on usenet using Google groups. People looking at you for things like jobs or contracts search your name using Google and what do they find? Well... use your imagination. Do they believe it? Unfortunately if it's controversial enough for them to be in doubt they would sooner pass you over than take the risk.

This has happened to me personally.

Along comes this Google Notes rubbish and those same kooks and trolls now have the ability to add rubbish information about your websites that you can do NOTHING about except plead with them to remove it. Given their policy on groups I seriously doubt that they will moderate any notes made about websites that are on the net.

If anything I hope that the internet community will use common sense and reject this concept completely.

I don't see how this is Google's fault.

 

[Pixual]

I don't see how this is Google's fault.

What isn't their fault? That they let people use their systems to post whatever they want to the usenet archive? That they develop tools that can allow anyone to spread abuse across the web?

How are these things not their fault?

 

[xrapidx]

Who's fault is it going to be if someone registers your name as a domain and hosts a porn site?

 

[arf9999]

I still don't see how Google is responsible. Did they libel or slander you? If they did, take action against them. If they didn't, take action against the person that did.

 

[kris860911]

I love complaining.

 

[Pixual]

I still don't see how Google is responsible. Did they libel or slander you? If they did, take action against them. If they didn't, take action against the person that did.

Google allowed somebody to use their groups system to post messages onto multiple usenet groups wherein they accused me personally of being a child molester, rapist, etc.

Those posts got picked up by people who have used scripts to import usenet archives into their web based fora. I try to contact as many of them as possible, but it's a losing battle.

Complaints to Google fell on deaf ears. Being a South African with limited means makes it damn near impossible for me to do anything about this.

Google will not release the IP's or traceroutes of the perpetrator, nor will they block them from doing it again.

Do you see the problem now? Would you like it if somebody did this to you?

 

[arf9999]

Have you laid a criminal charge? The police can then serve a court order for the IP on Google SA.

Do you know who it is that did it?

 

[Pixual]

Unfortunately no. There were several of us from around the world who were affected by the troll and we've been trying in vain to get this fixed for quite a few years.

The issue I have with Google is that they still allow this to carry on and there is seemingly nothing that can be done about it. They don't claim responsibility for anything that is posted to usenet as they view it as public domain, even though the perpetrators are using their interface to make the posts to the system. Your usual recourse for abuse on a usenet server is to take it up with the originating ISP who will then remove it and take action against the villain. Google isn't an ISP.

Personally I stopped using usenet a few years back because of it, but it still hurts me when I see these ridiculous statements being re-published all over the web.

If Google allows a similar thing to happen with this new "notes" system, then I'm afraid it all just happens again. Hopefully it won't see the light of day and if it does I hope that there is a massive class action lawsuit taken against them for allowing unmoderated comments to be published on the internet.

 

[CathJ]

You clearly don't know what you are talking about.

No, you don't.

Yes, people can use usenet the way you say. But that's got nothing to do with google. Those same people could create a website, or a blog, and you couldn't blame google for that just because google displays it in their search results.

Google Groups is just a way of accessing usenet postings, that's all. It doesn't control the content.

 

[Pixual]

Jeez, man... do some freakin' research before you make comments that are completely inaccurate.

It is POSSIBLE to use Google Groups to post messages to usenet anonymously. The abuse originates from Google but Google will not provide further information or assist in removing said messages from the greater usenet archive.

Google is an evil empire and it needs to be brought to its knees before it is allowed to control the internet completely.