Sphinn - Cash, SEO and Ethics

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Cash, SEO and Ethics

Went Hot: July 12, 2008 - 6:05 pm
Posted By: DoshDosh 359 days ago
Topic Type: News Story (Jump to http://www.searchenginepeople.com)
Category: SEO

It’s intriguing that most of discussions are outward focused. They’re about Google and “do no evil”. About whether any company should enter the China market. About how far “they” should be allowed to go, what “they” should owe us, how “they” should be regulated. Closer to home we’re often mum.

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from Halfdeck 357 days ago #

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I agree it's easy to point fingers at other people "being evil" while maintaining whatever you're doing is just good business. If you define your own actions strictly by ROI then not doing the same when judging other companies is hypocritical. At the same time, its natural for people to get too close to their work and not realize what effect they're having on others. In that case, holier-than-thou critics - whether hypocritical or not - serves a purpose.

from neyne 357 days ago #

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this is an excellent post! Mirrors my thoughts exactly from the recent discussions on black hat on SMX or Lyndon's linkbait.

There is a great saying that I know from hebrew, so sorry if the translation is awkward, but people living in houses made of glass, should not go around throwing stones...

from Ruud 357 days ago #

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@Halfdeck I too think critics serve their purpose. It's a balancing act and they (we) are part of the balance. Also, "he who is without sin, let him trhow the first stone" doesn't mean we can't criticise or that when we do the validity of our critic is automatically nill simply because of our ethics (or absence of them).

@neyne Unrelated: love your avatar :)

Knowning your own ethics is as essential as knowing your own SEO theories: search, always question, always test.

from neyne 357 days ago #

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@ruud There are critics and there are critics. I hate it when a critique turns into a lynching mob. Calling someone out on a move can also be done calmly, reasonably and without getting personal, while remembering all the skeletons in our own closets...

from Ruud 356 days ago #

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Slashing someone down, killing something off is fun.

I think that sums up the motivation behind a lot of lynching mob critique. Happens with stars (whether Hollywood or SEO) and big success (whether Microsoft or Google -- Apple is slated for vilification, I expect).

Good point though, good point.