Dave Winer links today to a blogger who declares Google = evil because his site shows up with a “This site may harm your computer” warning in Google search results. “I’ve reposted his piece here in full, in case Google/Firefox is blocking his site,” Winer writes.
Neither Winer nor the blogger appears to have made any attempt to learn why this happens.
When Google detects known malware on a site, it puts up the warning to let people know it’s a dangerous site to visit. Google also posts information on the Google Webmaster console for that site, so the webmaster can find out what triggered the warning.
In this case, the blogger’s using WordPress on Bluehost. The most likely cause for the warning is that old versions of WordPress have security vulnerabilities that can be exploited to add malware. This blog was probably hit before WordPress was upgraded.
Google’s doing the right thing here. There was malware on this blogger’s site that could have done any number of evil things to his visitors (some of which are legally actionable). Instead of turning a blind eye, Google flagged the problem.
Winer and the blogger could have learned all of this by searching evil Google for the phrase “This site may harm your computer.”
Even more funny is the fact that Dave felt the need to mirror the post in case Google somehow took over the blogger’s web server and disabled it.
Hey, it’s my site that’s the issue – there is no malware on my site. I appealed to Google. Google apparently agreed – sending me an email on Feb. 15 stating they’ve reviewed my site, and it’s clean, and they will shortly remove the warning. It’s almost a month later and the warning is still there. I’m willing to believe that WordPress has some security issues that leave me open to malware; my real issue is that after Google said I was free and clear, they didn’t take down the warning around my site.
The most likely scenario is (1) Google detected malware, (2) Bluehost upgraded WordPress and removed malware from its clients, (3) you complained to Google, (4) Google found your site clean.
Sign up for Google Webmaster at http://www.nicco.org. After you verify your site, you will see a message in your Webmaster Console about the malware warning. It’s much easier to get Google to help you from within Google Webmaster.
I wasn’t aware that “inconveniencing Nicco” was behavior reflective of moral turpitude. Some folks certainly have a low threshold for “evil” these days.
[Off-topic]
Dave’s latest contribution to constructive discussion: http://www.scripting.com/stories/2008/03/12/twitterIsNotAChatroom.html#disqus_thread
“dave :
“Love this comment. 1. This podcast proves you’re an asshole. 2. BTW, I didn’t listen to it. Conclusion: The Internet is full of shit.
…
“Robert ‘Groby’ Blum
“I can’t listen to what you have to say. Seriously. I currently have no sound. (And that’ll stay that way for a while)
“So that left me with taking your statement ( “Twitter is not a chat room” ) at face value. And I was rather surprised about that, given your past stance. I’m sorry if you took that as an attack – it wasn’t meant that way, simply a curious inquiry if your stance had changed. (Hence my remark that I’d apologize if it was covered in the mp3)
“dave
“Attack? I just thought the comment was void of value, and said so. Move on.”
So calling someone an asshole is not an attack?
^^ The comments on that post are even better a few lines down, Jason Calacanis points out his hypocrisy in the podcast and he replies (about Gnomedex where he yelled insults at Jason during his speech):
“You still don’t understand what happened on the back-channel, I put myself between you and the mob, what a mistake that was. Next time you’re on your own. (I noticed you took most of the commercialism out of your stock speech at Le Web 3, so maybe the room did make its point.)”
He literally thinks he somehow was helping Jason by hurling insults at a public event. “Next time you’re on your own.” I would imagine that’s all Jason ever wanted.
dave has been on a rampage lately. I’ve been following him with Tweet Scan, here’s a recent gem:
davewiner : I find when I’m writing a defensive comment on my blog, these days, I stop, and go delete the comment I’m responding to. << (2008-03-12 23:35:16)
davewiner : People who should know better just don’t get blogs. I don’t have an editor for a reason. You want to edit my posts, pay me big bucks. << (2008-03-12 23:36:42)
davewiner : Then I’ll quit and start a blog so I don’t have to write what other people want me to write.
<< (2008-03-12 23:37:00
davewiner : In other words, if you want to control a blogger, two words for you the first rhymes with puck and the second rhymes with off. << (2008-03-12 23:37:44)
See comments on this post: http://www.scripting.com/stories/2008/03/11/niccosSiteDay2.html#disqus_thread
A commenter backs Dave into the corner. Dave’s response: “Geez, you’d think this was a presidential campaign or something.
”
It is like a presidential campaign. Dave lies and deflects questions.