Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

We’re Being Sued For Linking To Shopzilla

datadial.net

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 57 posts

Re: We’re Being Sued For Linking To Shopzilla

#41

Post by mikeash »

btipling wrote: post #23

Shopzilla probably has bad links that are driving down its SEO and page rank on Google and they are trying to get low quality sites to remove those bad links. It is totally OK for them to want to have links removed to their site, since some of them may be damaging their SEO and hence their earnings. Maybe the method used is a little over the top, but there is probably nothing wrong with their intentions. If someone a…

Using a lawyer to threaten monetary damages where none are merited makes you ineligible for "acting in good faith".

Re: We’re Being Sued For Linking To Shopzilla

#42

Post by wpietri »

cinquemb wrote: post #36
wpietri wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People "just wanting" something without regard for the consequences to others are acting like sociopaths.

I'm sure the fear of being called a sociopath has scared many people from doing what they want... If a business just wants something, can it really be sociopathic in the same way a person wants something?

Businesses can't "want" anything.

But if we, for our analytical convenience, pretend they are people and therefore can want things, then yes, they can be sociopathic.

Re: We’re Being Sued For Linking To Shopzilla

#43

Post by regularfry »

grey-area wrote: post #26
regularfry wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's OK for them to want links removed. It's entirely beyond the pail to be able to enforce removal at lawyer-point just because it's damaging their SEO. Why should their SEO efforts be protected by law from random passers-by? The law isn't there to protect their profits.

It's entirely beyond the pail [sic] to be able to enforce removal It's beyond the pale (as in the paling fence surrounding a town, the pale of settlement, etc...).

Ah! I was wondering which way round it was supposed to be.

Re: We’re Being Sued For Linking To Shopzilla

#44

Post by regularfry »

btipling wrote: post #27
regularfry wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's OK for them to want links removed. It's entirely beyond the pail to be able to enforce removal at lawyer-point just because it's damaging their SEO. Why should their SEO efforts be protected by law from random passers-by? The law isn't there to protect their profits.

Shopzilla just wants the links removed. This method has probably worked for them. They don't care if HN's never ending stream of daily outrage focuses on them for a short time (before moving on to a new thing to be outraged about tomorrow). They just want the links removed. I'm not defending them. I'm just trying to make sense out of it.

If you're not trying to defend them, your language could use a little work. Apologies if English isn't your first.

Re: We’re Being Sued For Linking To Shopzilla

#45

Post by paulhauggis »

Some years back, I had a guy try to tell me that an ordered list of common website links on his site was copyrighted (and that he would be suing me in court because I had those same links on my site).

He even wanted a public apology. I, of course, ignored all of this and he went away.

It's ridiculous what people will try to sue you about these days...

Re: We’re Being Sued For Linking To Shopzilla

#46

Post by hluska »

chmike wrote: post #35

It is unfortunate, but the integration of a link inside a page may affect it's page rank in google search results. This is enough, in my opinion, to justify the concern of the link target owner and legitimate the request to get the link removed. However, the harm, if any, needs to be established and proven for a trial to be successful I guess.

So, company A writes something accurate about company B. Company A's site is relatively new and the anchor text is something like 'click here'. Under your 'theory' company B would be entitled to go to court to force company A to remove the link.

Two questions:

- does that keep with the spirit of the web? - what happened to the concept of electronic freedom??

Needless to say, I think you're dead wrong.

Re: We’re Being Sued For Linking To Shopzilla

#47

Post by notatoad »

darkarmani wrote: post #39
scrabble wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I caught on to that about halfway through the article -- as I'd imagine most readers did. It seems a bit much to me. Someone from Shopzilla responded in the comments with an apology and explanation of what had happened. Seemed good enough for me, mistakes do happen and I'd be surprised if this was started by Shopzilla with malicious intent.

> We flag up thousands of backlinks that are potentially spam I don't know if this is good enough. Isn't he basically admitting that they send out thousands of C&D orders for linking? He's just apologizing for picking on someone with the means to fight back against this bullying.

Yeah, that sounds like a pretty bullshit apology. He's admitting that this is standard practice for them, and apologizing for getting caught.

Re: We’re Being Sued For Linking To Shopzilla

#48

Post by cinquemb »

wpietri wrote: post #42
cinquemb wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sure the fear of being called a sociopath has scared many people from doing what they want... If a business just wants something, can it really be sociopathic in the same way a person wants something?

Businesses can't "want" anything. But if we, for our analytical convenience, pretend they are people and therefore can want things, then yes, they can be sociopathic.

I'm curious, from what you stated: what businesses would you consider to be sociopathic?

Re: We’re Being Sued For Linking To Shopzilla

#50

Post by chc »

tveita wrote: post #21
jacquesm wrote: post #3

That's a clever ploy to get some eyeballs out of a legal case that isn't worth the paper it is printed on. But if some company is hell bent on suing you for linking to them and you want to get mileage out of it by going to the media with the story you're going to have to weigh your options carefully. Just remove the link, problem goes away no need for legal representation and you get on with your life. Or you milk it…

They're not actually being sued, are they? That part seemed a bit dishonest to me. It looks like so far they have only been served a particularly obnoxious cease and desist letter.

Indeed, that appears to be the case. It would be a hilarious irony if Shopzilla turned around and actually sued them for libel.
Post reply on HN