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What Is My Moral Obligation As A Whitehat?
The discussion has come up before. As an SEO, should I not out an attempt at rankings or attention from an SEO making use of gray or black tactics?
To this vague question I say no. I'm very fond of black hatters, mostly because the ones I've had the pleasure to communicate with, I feel, are smarter than I am. They have a tough job, and I applaud them. The ones I speak to, however, make their methods, and the potential risks involved, clear to their clients. (Hey, they warn you, if it goes south, can't blame anyone). But, where is the line?
What if I know of someone that makes use of poor tactics without telling their clients? What if I know of a firm that does this? What if I know of a multi-million dollar company, with ten's of thousands of customers that wouldn't know any better, that sells snake oil?
At what point do I have an obligation as a White Hat to make others aware? We complain often about snake-oil salesmen. When should we take action?
Do I even have an obligation? After all, like it or not, I don't think I've ever spoken to anyone that is completely "White Hat." (Eric Ward wrote an incredible article on this debate in the last Search Marketing Standard I got).
I look forward to any experience in the matter, because I actually lost some sleep over this last week. There is something eating away at me, and I need to find a way to put a stop to it, but I have to do it the right way. Or I need to just put my dress away and let it go. Thoughts are appreciated.
11 Comments
Comments
You mean, like the putz "SEOs" from eyelogic media who spammed my email with a poorly written solicitation suggesting I hire them to provide me with SEO services?
I copy-pasted the email into a Google spam report.
Also, I've outed Network Solutions for offering ranking guarantees (which the above morons did too, actually).
That said, I agree that my blackhat friends are generally more technically proficient than me and I don't out their spam. In any case, it's mostly a non-issue as the real pro blackhats are in business for themselves and don't sell SEO services.
Yeah, kinda like that. I mean more like when I have a very intimate knowledge of how someone handles SEO clients, or the lack of service provided all together.
Oh and to note on Network Solutions (you started it, not me) I used to be the one, (indirectly) and only one that provided those services. Now THAT was a cluster.
And actually, that is in very close proximity to what I'm talking about. If I am to out someone, or something, how does one go about it? Do you write a huge-mongus article and promote it?
Let me word it like this.
What if I worked for Wal Mart in their brand spanking new SEO department? Then I leave. Then I think about how not only is Wal Mart giving me a bad name, degrading the perceived value of my services, and generally mucking things up for SEOs everywhere, but they are ripping off small business owners who don't know better, and will forever have a bad taste in their mouth.
Do I tattle publicly?
IMO, a blackhat that takes on clients NEEDS to tell his clients the risks, as you said. If he is not SEOing for himself or an affiliate program, all bets are off as soon as he does not. I would notify the CLIENT though, not the search engine.
@SlightlyShadySEO - How do you notify 70,000 clients while preventing the backlash of legal guys? Isn't there some sort of organization that polices companies offering services? I don't mean the rip-off report or BBB. Neither of them really get anything done. But is there nobody that will take on such a task and at the least make a company reverse its claims?
Seriously, SEO at Wal Mart? Page 1 rankings for $40 a month? Full SEO solutions for $80 a month. I'm tired of these bad claims from companies wanting to make a buck with little regard for anyone else, and the bad name I'm getting from them.
Sounds like the start of a new website to me.
Hint: You can start by just scraping Google's index for the search "SEO india"...heh.
But really, monitor their shit. Notice penalizations/bans, and contact the customer afterwards to try and get a statement. At that point, you should have legal ground covered to talk about what a shiite job they're doing.
Heck, if you make it it's own post, you could probably get close to their own ranking for their company name.
To the question "What is my moral obligation as a White Hat" I think that belongs in a White Hat forum, where there is a sense of White Hat Community, with White Hat Principles or a White Hat Code of Ethics or whatever you call want to develop. I think it is out of place in the public forum (like Sphinn), because 1) not everyone agrees there is such a thing as White Hat and 2) Not everyone accepts your self-appointed role as Policeman of Hat Wearing Workers.
As for spam reports and notifying someone else's customers (if I read that right) you must be kidding. See my first comment.
@John: Thanks for helping me start out the SEO year with a laugh "Policeman of Hat Wearing Workers."
@SEOfactor: err, hope you have a good lawyer... and re:"What if I know of someone that makes use of poor tactics without telling their clients?" In this business "poor tactics" is subjective unless of course you are the Policeman of Hat Wearing Workers ;). Some might say that to do SEO without linkbuilding is a poor tactic... however many SEO companies don't have linkbuilding services, would you alert those clients? Aren't those SEO companies still offering great services?.... My advice, don't mess with your online karma by minding someone else's business, get some sleep and if you still can't sleep - get a perscription for Ambient ;)
@johnandrews - Hmmm...I think you've misunderstood the entire discussion. Sigh...
RE"White Hat forum, where there is a sense of White Hat Community, with White Hat Principles or a White Hat Code of Ethics or whatever you call want to develop."
I'm not too sure of such a community, as I, maybe too vaguely, referenced Eric Ward's article. I can't find it online (I'm sure not to devalue the print subscription), so if you would like a copy of the mag I'll be happy to send it to you, it really is that good.
Re "I think it is out of place in the public forum (like Sphinn)"
Actually, isn't this exactly the place to pose such a question if someone would like the opinion of others (thank you for yours by the way) and promote discussion?
RE: "Not everyone accepts your self-appointed role as Policeman of Hat Wearing Workers."
Did you have an OK Christmas? You seem cranky.
I'm not too sure what statement of mine made you think I would self-appoint a superiority of any kind. I've declared many times (I guess I can't fault you for not knowing me in this ocean) that with a past like mine, one is not afforded the luxury of acting better than anyone. That being said, as I stated in my post, it's not black hats that bother me, or even grey, or any other color people want to come up with, it's the promise of a service, that is not rendered; misleading people that have no better knowledge, further hurting a community of people, me and you included.
@NatashaRobinson
RE "Some might say that to do SEO without linkbuilding is a poor tactic... however many SEO companies don't have linkbuilding services, would you alert those clients? Aren't those SEO companies still offering great services?"
That's exactly it though. What if they aren't offering a service? Not of quality in any fashion. Perhaps by promising rankings and traffic, but not only are they not link building, but not optimizing content, making use of methods that directly contradict the guidelines all the search engines put forth. Telling a customer that they will be providing an SEO service, then using the same text that was used on, literally, hundreds of other sites, multiple pages with the same titles, descriptions (which are also repeated in EVERY alt attribute), etc.
Again, my issue is not some self reightous crusade to take down the man. It's a problem with companies misleading a customer base that is shared by myself, and you, and you, and you; creating the perception that SEO can be picked up on a shelf for the same price as a cup of coffee a day (I got that from some insurance commercial).
RE "get a perscription for Ambient"
Can I find that on Google?
@SEOFactor: you just described many vertical SEO companies; real estate verticals come to mind - however in MY definition of a good service, they provide just that. But again, YOUR definition of what is a good service is just as subjective as mine and who is to say my definition is more right than yours?
... And yes, Google Ambient - lol. Maybe I should do that since I'm up at 3:30 AM posting this comment ;)
Sphunn for the dissenting comments...self-appointed experts pointing fingers isn't a very good idea.