Issue with noindex meta tags being inconsistent with sitemap inclusion/exclusion options

bzcomputers

Well-known member
Affected version
2.2.15
There are inconsistency issues in XenForo setting noindex meta tags for pages that have sitemap inclusion/exclusion options.

Example 1 - Tags:
A. Turn tags off: tag page shows no permission notice, but it does not include the noindex meta tag (not expected for a non-content notice page)
B. Turn tags on: tag pages include the noindex meta tag (as expected)
C. Turn tags on and select them to be included in sitemap: tag pages still include the noindex meta tag (not expected)

Example 2 - Members:
A. Select members pages to be included in sitemap: member pages do not include the noindex meta tag (as expected)
B. Select members pages to be excluded from sitemap: member pages still do not include the noindex meta tag (not expected)
 
A. Turn tags off: tag page shows no permission notice, but it does not include the noindex meta tag (not expected for a non-content notice page)
That no permission page has status code 403; it doesn't really need noindex as 403 pages are not indexed anyway.

C. Turn tags on and select them to be included in sitemap: tag pages still include the noindex meta tag (not expected)
Hmm ... doesn't seem to be the case (at least on xenforo.com):

B. Select members pages to be excluded from sitemap: member pages still do not include the noindex meta tag (not expected)
Why should a page have noindex just because it is not included in the sitema?
It is perfectly fine for a page to be indexable without being included in the sitemap.
But pages that are not indexable should not be included in sitemaps.
 
C. Turn tags on and select them to be included in sitemap: tag pages still include the noindex meta tag (not expected)
Hmm ... doesn't seem to be the case (at least on xenforo.com):

Appears it is just the main tag page: /community/tags/ that still contains the noindex tag

Why should a page have noindex just because it is not included in the sitema?
It is perfectly fine for a page to be indexable without being included in the sitemap.
But pages that are not indexable should not be included in sitemaps.
It is true, it is perfectly fine for a page to be indexable without being included in the sitemap. That being said, any admin that purposefully removes a page/group of pages from the sitemap does not typically want those pages to still be indexed.
 
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