Saturday, August 02, 2008

Is Google too powerful? Or, Don’t blame us, “The Robot did it.” by Walt Barrett

Is Google too powerful? Or, Don’t blame us, “The Robot did it.”

Yesterday morning when I fired up my computer I quickly discovered that all four of my blogs on the Google Blogger pages were blocked! I was informed by a robot notice that their robots had determined that I was a spammer, and that my blogs would stay blocked until they determined other wise! Anyone who knows my blogs or me knows that I do not spam, nor do I publish or read any kind of smut.
All I have ever done is try to help people with my green energy Blog, and maybe entertain the a bit with my photo Blog.
Well I filed the necessary appeal form they left me for each of the four blogs that I write, and by late last night I was unblocked.

In the meantime though, I got very angry and have started a new Blog on Yahoo called Low Cost Micro Homes & Free Energy. It will be a mirror Blog with a different name http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-Sn8e3OEyc6.2t1_ctnfplgxU and I will continue to transfer all of the Blog stories I have written to that site too. We aren’t getting enough readership or comments anyway. Like the man said, “Never put all your eggs in one basket.” I have been reminded of a good lesson.
I also did a thorough search for Google censorship complaints etc., and found hundreds of them. In most of the cases, the reason was “Our robots did it!” How very convenient! Especially blocking the Blogs that criticized certain political candidates, and were blocked!” “The robot did it” theme is very convenient!
Shades of Hal (2001)!

I have read the Google terms of service and according to them they can do just about anything they want to your blogs! I know they are into green energy etc there, and I am wondering if they heat their building on chilly days by burning books?
I’m not even sure if terms of agreement are legal if they deprive people of their first amendment rights, but we are going to find out.
Long story short, I’m writing my congressmen and complain that these people have entirely too much power, and it is growing daily. We don’t need anyone having that much control over what is seen or read on the Internet. Anyone with that much power is scary! I urge you all to write to your congressman and advise him of the dangers of letting any giant corporation exercise that kind of power over an important asset of the magnitude of the Internet. No one should be allowed to buy up the Internet either. I’m going to use Yahoo more often!
The blogs will continue unless Google blocks them again.
Thanks,
Walt



You may contact Walter H. Barrett at: info@chinadepot.com. He is the President of www.chinadepot.com.