Google will let users flag offensive content

[Alpha1]

Recently Google came under fire for showing offensive search results. Google has now responded in away that affects us all:
Google adds tool to flag 'offensive' search results

While flagging something doesn't directly affect the search results themselves, it's used to tweak the company's software so that better content ranks higher. This approach might, for instance, push down content that is inaccurate or has other questionable attributes, thereby giving prominence to trustworthy sources.

This means that if any of your forum threads contain offensive content or content that could be flagged as offensive, it can hurt your SEO.

I think this is just the beginning.

Related thread:
EU court: pay damages for ineffective Post Report moderation system.

 

[xenfans]

Recently Google came under fire for showing offensive search results. Google has now responded in away that affects us all:
Google adds tool to flag 'offensive' search results

This means that if any of your forum threads contain offensive content or content that could be flagged as offensive, it can hurt your SEO.

I think this is just the beginning.

Related thread:
EU court: pay damages for ineffective Post Report moderation system.

A great tool for the competition :/

 

[Brent W]

A great tool for the competition :/

Only official Google reviewers will have access to this.

 

[Alpha1]

Last week the EU grilled Google, Facebook and Twitter on the matter.

European new laws propose €50 million fine for slow removal of abuse, hate speech, fake news:
https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/20/o...cy-against-its-abuse-or-watch-innovation-die/

The news last week that the German government had proposed fining Facebook and Twitter up to $53 million (€50 million) for failing to remove abuse, slander, fake news and hate speech within 24 hours once again threw into sharp relief the differences between Europe and the U.S. in attitudes to online content.

In other moves, the European Commission is threatening to fine Facebook, Twitter, Google and other social networks unless they overhaul their terms and conditions to “comply with EU consumer rules.” It could be just the first wave of moves, which may go on to address the content they also carry on their platforms.

Indeed, they’ve already started. In May last year, the European Commission set forth an anti-hate speech code of conduct, and it enlisted Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Microsoft to take part in the fight. This was after moves in 2015 that saw Facebook, Google and Microsoft agree to a voluntary code of conduct in Europe to fight the spread of hate speech online. It’s not like any of this is a surprise to them.

And the idea seems to be spreading. British Conservative MP Tim Loughton, a member of the powerful Home Affairs Select Committee, heavily criticized the “woeful” excuses by the U.K. heads of Google, Twitter and Facebook to MPs in a grueling three-hour grilling in the House of Commons.

Only official Google reviewers will have access to this.

At this time yes, but recent developments will likely force google to let anyone report abuse to them.

 

[n00bsaibot]

lol @ EU. good luck...

But yeah, this will only further marginalize opinion sharing sites like forums. I wonder if differing opinions in a discussion can flag a whole site.

 

[xenfans]

Only official Google reviewers will have access to this.

I doubt it will be any different than their current systems.

 

[Alpha1]

lol @ EU. good luck...

I would not be surprised if the US will demand a clampdown on fake news as well. Probably at some point after the investigation about the election.

 

[Anthony Parsons]

Reading that... it sounds to me like absolutely nothing will change about this. This is a token tool for Google to continually help define authority sites and content, well moderated sites, sites with quality content.... keeping the noise down for them. They already do a good job with this, and such tool will only marginally affect the quality they already have in place IMHO.

 

[Alpha1]

Only official Google reviewers will have access to this.

Like I predicted its now available to Google users.

Google is just getting started on this. Misleading, inaccurate forum posts, as well as hateful, racist, offensive, harmful, dangerous or violent posts on your forum will affect your SEO more and more.

Here is a feature request to address this:
https://xenforo.com/community/threa...port-and-moderate-illegal-hate-speech.127828/