Google: Conservative Website No Longer a Threat to Computers

Photo of Noel Sheppard.
By Noel Sheppard (Bio | Archive)
January 26, 2008 - 12:00 ET

NewsBusters reported in December that Internet behemoth Google had a disclaimer cautioning readers that the website of conservative magazine the American Spectator "may harm your computer."

For some reason, this warning no longer exists.

This raises a couple of important questions:

  • Did the American Spectator do anything to its website that made it "safer?"
  • If not, did Google change its "harmful site" parameters, and, if so, why?
*****Update: Ed Driscoll points out that TCS Daily, another conservative site, was similarly afflicted.
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What a relief...

January 26, 2008 - 12:17 ET by VT Con Man

Whew, I'm glad we got that cleared up, now I can go see what a "conservative website" has to offer...now that it is no longer Dangerous!

Only in America would such a bunch of ninnies be allowed to run anything. (google)

ethics in the media

January 26, 2008 - 12:36 ET by bulbasaur

I understand that universities teach journalistic ethics, but in these times, but it is unfortunately necessary, given the vastly expanded sphere of public communication, to introduce youngsters to the concept of communication ethics. Most of these young kids who publish internet content are oblivious to the responsibility they have toward those who read their products. It has probably never even occurred to many of these kids that freedom of expression is balanced by moral responsibility.

I'll give the folks at Google the benefit of the doubt, and assume they had a reason for doing what they did. But everyone who publishes on the Internet has an obligation to honor the dignity of their readers by giving them the truth, and avoiding deceit & self-interested manipulation.

Don't trust it

January 26, 2008 - 12:50 ET by ThisnThat

Don't go to that website -- it hasn't been "de-dangerized" yet. I visited it just a few hours ago, and it sucked my shirt off, made me gain 40 pounds, and stole my hubcaps.

___________________________________ 

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber

No laughing matter

January 26, 2008 - 13:14 ET by jaylat

I think this is a VERY important issue. With private companies such as Google becoming ever more powerful as controllers of content - gatekeepers, if you will - they should be held accountable for their actions. There is nothing funny about the most powerful search engine in the world abusing its power to make a political statement.

I sincerely hope that the blogospherre keeps the pressure on Google to make them explain how this happened, and what steps they will take to prevent it in the future. This is no less than censorship, on a grand scale.

Although

January 26, 2008 - 13:37 ET by bigpapa

I don't use giggle for these types of offenses...

and we should complain to them.. however it is their right as a private company to do so.

I don't believe in smoking bans for privately owned establishments either... it's their decision and they sink or swim with it..

How is it "their right" to

January 26, 2008 - 13:47 ET by jaylat

How is it "their right" to falesly accuse a website of being dangerous?

Just as the NY Times should be held to a standard of truth, so should Google and other search engines. We may need new regulations so that this type of offence would be treated as the libel it is.

Is it

January 26, 2008 - 14:29 ET by bigpapa

a privately owned company?? Do you really want gov't regulation of the internet??

we as consumers decide who to use,, and we should take the time to research.

I'm sorry but if I don't like a tv show I don't watch it... there are many, many liberal biased tv shows.. I don't watch them.

would you suggest that we have to make them submit their scripts to a censor to detect liberal or conservative bias before they are aired???

MSM standards were supposedly put in place by them,, not the gov't. True they are a pathetic bunch but we know it and choose whom to watch and read.

Freedom baby.

Not my point

January 26, 2008 - 14:40 ET by jaylat

I'm not gainst bias per se - I agree that a private company can say whatever they please. If they are liberal, so be it. But that's not what is happening here.

The problem comes when malicious falehoods are used to injure someone's business. People pay Google bilions of dollars annually to get a better position on their searches. They should not be able to arbitrarily flag a site as a danger if there is no such danger.

My guess is that it's not Google itself but a group of liberal nutcases who have taken it upon themselves to hurt conservative websites by falely accusing them of being potential virus hazards.

I see your point

January 26, 2008 - 16:10 ET by bigpapa

however I still believe we have to be responsible for what we consume, either in food, drink or thought.

If they have caused harm to a web site through their policies then it is up to the web site to persue legal actions.

I guess I'm almost always for less gov't...

Disagree bigpapa

January 26, 2008 - 18:31 ET by candance

If not for protected free speech, Google would ban those websites from appearing in their searches in the first place. It's the government's job to protect minorities and right now the two biggest search engines, Google and Yahoo, are run by leftists.

Trust me, with Google they're being generous letting religious websites show up in the first place.

I don't think

January 26, 2008 - 20:31 ET by bigpapa

google does anything like that out of generousity... I'm sure there is a business reason.. negative publicity or something.

I think that the more we allow gov't to take control of or "protect" the more the gov't controls us. Right now this great country is heading down the road to socialism at break neck speed..

Giving more and more control to Washington is not a good thing IMHO.

maybe we can agree to disagree..??

I just don't use them anymore,,, doesn't hurt them but makes me feel better :)

I have never had any problems at American Spectator's site.

January 26, 2008 - 15:06 ET by R D Helm

I have been to their site many, many times, and my security software never so much as twitches.

I think Google has, once again, been caught with its pants down with regards to its treatment of certain conservative websites, and it probably will not be the last time, either. Google, as is well known, is run by flaming liberal, red underwear-sporting, pointy-head type people, so this is not even remotely surprising.

One site that does concern me is Breitbart. Every time I click on a link to one of their news stories, my screen instantly fills up with all kinds of warning messages. That is the only place where that happens to me consistently.

None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free. -J.W. von Goethe

DansGuardian

January 26, 2008 - 15:54 ET by Norto

I used to get kicked off this site almost continually, until I sent numerous messages to Apple. Seems they subscribe to this DG filter and it may be the reason I had trouble. Someone at that site may have listed NBs as a problem site.

I really don't know. 

Norto, It was probably that hater guy. LOL.

January 28, 2008 - 01:31 ET by R D Helm

None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free. -J.W. von Goethe

We're talking about a company who has agreed o help the Chinese

January 26, 2008 - 17:32 ET by c5then

censor their internet so that any site or mention of democracy or representational government is blocked. Is any one surprised they are socialists/liberals and allow that to rule their business?

The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic. Let's get it back! Alan Keyes '08.

Google's CEO was handpicked

January 26, 2008 - 21:04 ET by ahusser

Google's CEO was handpicked by the the co-owners because of his anti-war and other liberal opinions not just for his ability to run a company.

You Can Thank Me

January 27, 2008 - 21:43 ET by WoodyM

Yes, I'm the one who wrote to Google about this problem and asked if they were nuts.  That has to be it. 

It only takes a few determined leftists within their operations to conduct dirty tricks against conservatives, and their actions don't have to be authorized.  It's like those Democrats slicing the tires of Republican get-out-the-vote vans in Milwaukee, and their leaders acting totally surprised. 

The problem was not the

January 28, 2008 - 14:27 ET by Khyris

The problem was not the site perse, but apparently one of the advertising popups.

 Alas, no left-wing-conspiracy THIS time.