More Spam Ranting: BlogSpot's Enabling
Category: Internet...
Posted Wednesday, April 05, 2006 at 08:30 AM [GMT-6]

Just when you think the spammers' arsenal has been completed, up pops another insidious tactic, and this one is annoying in the extreme.

I'm getting an increasing number of trackback pings from bogus Blogspot blogs set up for no purpose other than to promote various schemes, businesses, and offensive content. Many of these sites are also configured with an automatic redirect so that you never actually see the blog itself, but immediately land on another website.

Infrequently, the blog will actually appear and it's still got its default Blogspot configuration, including the "flag for offensive content" icon, which I always make a point to click. I have no idea whether Google's blog minions ever follow up on such flagging, but at least it's something I can do.

I've read Blogger's Terms of Service and it's pretty clear that spam trackbacks are a prohibited activity:

The Service makes use of the Internet to send and receive certain messages; therefore, Member's conduct is subject to Internet regulations, policies and procedures. Member will not use the Service for chain letters, junk mail, spamming or any use of distribution lists to any person who has not given specific permission to be included in such a process.

Of course, as with any spam activity the real problem is identification and enforcement. Blogger doesn't provide a simple way to report abuses. The last sentence in the TOS is promising -- VIOLATIONS Please report any violations of the TOS via the Blogger Support home page. -- but when you follow the link, there's nothing on that page regarding reporting of abuse. Very helpful, Blogger...pretty much what we've come to expect from you.

This situation is another reason why incoming trackback pings are no longer accepted on the Gazette. Life's too short to spend any time cleaning them up or even moderating them.

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Comments

I'm so glad not to be with blogger any more!

Posted by: Rachel at April 5, 2006 07:18 PM

Rachel, I know Blogger generates its own problems from time-to-time, but at least people like you are trustworthy and don't abuse the system.

Posted by: Eric at April 6, 2006 08:46 AM

This true!

Posted by: Rachel at April 6, 2006 05:49 PM
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