Google makes a ‘Boo-Boo’

Someone at Google will be looking for a new job this weekend after accidentally adding an ‘/’ to the list of malware sites identified by StopBadware.org The search engine giant uses StopBadware.org to identify websites as containing malware, by adding a ‘/’ to the list it ment any website with a ‘/’ in the address ( that would be all of them ) were incorrectly marked as infected.

At 3.30pm yesterday, anyone searching google for any kind of search term were prompted with a warning that the site may possible contain some “dodgy” software and may harm their computer. While it only lasted for 40 mins while their “rapid responce team” removed the affending item ( 40 mins to remove a ‘/’ not that quick if you as me ) it kind of asks the question, should we really place all our SEO eggs in Googles basket??

Now I admit I’m not a real fan of Google as the biggest hypocrites on the internet but they do what they do well so you have to give it to them, but we must remember that they aren’t the only search engine around and if something were to happen to google, e.g. their servers shut down again, those that only focus on google will be left in the cold.

Webmaster tools, analytics, adwords all great but remember both yahoo and micro*cough*soft*cough* (find it hard to say that) also have their own versions.

Anyway enough of me follow the links below to read and make your own minds up

• the register
• the times online
• the beeb

Tags: google, human error, malware, search engine, stopbadware.org

This entry was posted by Gavin on Sunday, February 1st, 2009 at 6:57 pm and is filed under T'Internet News.
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