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Google Destroys Rap Genius’ Search Result Rankings As Punishment For SEO Spam

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Re: Google Destroys Rap Genius’ Search Result Rankings As Punishment For SEO Spam

#91

Post by jasonlotito »

zmitri wrote: post #90
dkuntz2 wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Considering all the parent did was call them "toxic", something I personally agree with based on everything I've read and heard about them, and that wasn't even their main point, your questions are kinda moot. No, Google's terms aren't a moral imperative, but Rap Genius' team bragging about breaking the terms and complaining when they didn't get their way doesn't make his statement of "Those guys are toxic" wrong.

You just called a group of human beings poisonous based on stuff you've "read and heard". Think about that. Poison kills people. You've never interacted with them personally, yet you are already calling them toxic. So prior to actually analyzing the situation, you are already saying you don't care what actually happened, you don't like them anyway. Context is important, and I believe if you come into a conversation w…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbole

So, stop whining.

Re: Google Destroys Rap Genius’ Search Result Rankings As Punishment For SEO Spam

#92

Post by JHSheridan »

NegativeK wrote: post #86
walshemj wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look at Googles multi class share structure and ask that Q again.

JHSheridan is using the term "private" to mean "not owned by the government."

Exactly. I understand there's a difference, I just thought the way I was using it was completely obvious.

Re: Google Destroys Rap Genius’ Search Result Rankings As Punishment For SEO Spam

#93

Post by obstacle1 »

zmitri wrote: post #90
dkuntz2 wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Considering all the parent did was call them "toxic", something I personally agree with based on everything I've read and heard about them, and that wasn't even their main point, your questions are kinda moot. No, Google's terms aren't a moral imperative, but Rap Genius' team bragging about breaking the terms and complaining when they didn't get their way doesn't make his statement of "Those guys are toxic" wrong.

You just called a group of human beings poisonous based on stuff you've "read and heard". Think about that. Poison kills people. You've never interacted with them personally, yet you are already calling them toxic. So prior to actually analyzing the situation, you are already saying you don't care what actually happened, you don't like them anyway. Context is important, and I believe if you come into a conversation w…

>Poison kills people

It isn't a direct equivalence, dude. "Toxic" in everyday speech between real human beings means more like dislikeable, having a negative effect on the social environment, acts in socially undesirable ways, etc. Not 'kills you'.

Re: Google Destroys Rap Genius’ Search Result Rankings As Punishment For SEO Spam

#94

Post by Natsu »

flexie wrote: post #8

Still, the real story here is that almost all small businesses depend on the mercy of one giant corporation. This Google monstrosity / police man should be split up into smaller, competing search engines.

We all depend on one search engine and will quickly abandon it when it doesn't provide the results we want. Remember Altavista? Yahoo? All those other has-beens?

Also, you can pay for advertising rather than expecting to be entitled to organic results. Nobody forces anyone to build a Google-supported business and frankly, people really shouldn't be doing that for this very reason. It's not a good idea to live at Google's mercy.

Re: Google Destroys Rap Genius’ Search Result Rankings As Punishment For SEO Spam

#95

Post by xerophtye »

zmitri wrote: post #76
dkuntz2 wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sorry, did they not, with "malice aforethought", blatantly disregard Google's terms. And then brag about it? And, after being called on it, issue a not-really apology that basically said "fuck you, we do what we want"?

Are Google's terms a moral imperative? Does observation of Google's terms define who you are as a person? Are rules created by a corporation means to determine whether doing something is right or wrong? Google can do what they want, they own the rankings. But why would you personally attack someone? Is adherence to Google's terms a factor you use in judging the quality of someone's character?

Look at it this way: Whenever you use someone's services, following their wishes, which were expressed as ToS, is a moral imperative. You honesty to that agreement you made with them, is a moral imperative. And i can judge you based on that. Yes, that does tell what kind of a person you are.

Re: Google Destroys Rap Genius’ Search Result Rankings As Punishment For SEO Spam

#96

Post by acjohnson55 »

badman_ting wrote: post #43
mbel wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> and when I search lyrics in Google, I really want to go to rap genius. So, isn't it easier (and faster) to go directly to rapgenius or create custom search keyword in the browser, than ask google for the lyrics?

Their search engine isn't very good, as is the case with most sites. There's a reason why everyone uses Google to find things.

Hmm, so maybe they should, like, build a better internal one for themselves, instead of trying to scam the external one they rely on so thoroughly.

Re: Google Destroys Rap Genius’ Search Result Rankings As Punishment For SEO Spam

#97

Post by dkuntz2 »

zmitri wrote: post #90
dkuntz2 wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Considering all the parent did was call them "toxic", something I personally agree with based on everything I've read and heard about them, and that wasn't even their main point, your questions are kinda moot. No, Google's terms aren't a moral imperative, but Rap Genius' team bragging about breaking the terms and complaining when they didn't get their way doesn't make his statement of "Those guys are toxic" wrong.

You just called a group of human beings poisonous based on stuff you've "read and heard". Think about that. Poison kills people. You've never interacted with them personally, yet you are already calling them toxic. So prior to actually analyzing the situation, you are already saying you don't care what actually happened, you don't like them anyway. Context is important, and I believe if you come into a conversation w…

You're accusing me of exactly what you're doing, speaking and making assumptions without analyzing. I have thought about the situation, and I had no predisposition against Rap Genius. Their actions, followed up by what I've read after this occurred, is what leads me to my conclusion.

And no, I don't like Snowden, not that it's relevant. But it has nothing to do with his leaking information, it has to do with how he came forward about being the leak.

Do you work for Rap Genius?

Re: Google Destroys Rap Genius’ Search Result Rankings As Punishment For SEO Spam

#98

Post by zmitri »

dkuntz2 wrote: post #97
zmitri wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You just called a group of human beings poisonous based on stuff you've "read and heard". Think about that. Poison kills people. You've never interacted with them personally, yet you are already calling them toxic. So prior to actually analyzing the situation, you are already saying you don't care what actually happened, you don't like them anyway. Context is important, and I believe if you come into a conversation w…

You're accusing me of exactly what you're doing, speaking and making assumptions without analyzing. I have thought about the situation, and I had no predisposition against Rap Genius. Their actions, followed up by what I've read after this occurred, is what leads me to my conclusion. And no, I don't like Snowden, not that it's relevant. But it has nothing to do with his leaking information, it has to do with how he c…

I'm sorry, I had thought you meant based on pieces and videos before you had even heard of this. That was how I read the last response and I suppose is why I am now defending them personally now, as opposed to their actions (which I still believe aren't a right or wrong issue - although it definitely will hurt them).

I don't work there but I use the site a lot, and when I used to live in New York they were one of the few teams of founders I met who were not complete bullshitters.

I started building an app and they had no reason to do anything for me, or provide me with any help whatsoever, but gave me detailed feedback on the product, gave me actual useful advice, and as my efforts became more and more successful have introduced me or championed me to numerous hard to get to people. Most people in their positions do not do this (at least in New York).

The reason why I responded to you in the first place was I saw you were still in university, and I bet when I was (I'm 25 so only a couple years ago) I might have thought the same thing of them. I might have burned a bridge for no reason, when actually these guys are extremely good people.

Although they put on a bit of persona when they deal with the tech press (mind you a lot of people I know wish they could do that), in real life they are sharp as hell, and are full of love. You don't meet a lot of people who give up jobs at Google, hedge funds and law firms to work full time on a lyrics website - but those are the types of people who put themselves on the line to try and work on stuff they are truly passionate about. Yeah sometimes outrageous, sometimes don't play by conventional rules, but those are the type of people that you want to work with if you want to try and build something successful.

PS. I don't believe you are toxic

Re: Google Destroys Rap Genius’ Search Result Rankings As Punishment For SEO Spam

#99

Post by SethMurphy »

walshemj wrote: post #65
SethMurphy wrote: post #57

Google isn't the only way to access the internet. All this complaining of not being able to type "rap genius" in google to go to the site sounds real juvenile, doesn't even rise to first world problem status. Try typing rapgenius.com and using their search mechanism. These actions may stop some of their growth, but should not be a hinderance to anyone complaining here.

It wasn't brand search terms that they where monetizing - they where obviously targeting general rap related terms by doing some very dark hat SEO

Google goes after anything it considers abuse with a bit of punitive damage, which seems fair to me. This is not a simple correction but punishment of past abuse in order to deter future abuse. The correction will come after the links are removed and their sentence is served.

Re: Google Destroys Rap Genius’ Search Result Rankings As Punishment For SEO Spam

#100

Post by 178 »

lelandbatey wrote: post #62
qq66 wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should try Bing for lyrics search. I've already made it the default engine on my phone.

Or, if you value privacy, you can use Duckduckgo.com which still ranks RapGenius plenty high.

Or even "!rg foo bar". (I typed that without looking it up, but I am sure it would work. That's how I use DDG all the time)
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