Google News Meta Tags Program killing blogs - update

The first two blog posts in this series reported how the Google News Meta Tag program was killing news partnerships and blog listings. But more conversations with bloggers revealed that its killing some blogs as well, many of them Liberal Blogs, and with traffic losses as great as 90 percent in one known case.

The entire affair, said to be "experimental" by Google News staff, is triggering so much consternation in the blogosphere that the end result will be if not one, then several complaints filed to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The Google News Meta Tag program was created to establish one "canonical" URL for a thread of news articles and blog posts. In other words, the system asks the authors to favor the post where the news "originated" from. But in implementing the system last week, Google's machines removed a very large number - perhaps over 100 - blogs from Google News, leaving legacy news sites like The New York Post or The Wall Street Journal.

The legal problem is that Google News action results in a surpression of a certain form of speech. That claim is not hyperbole.

First, Google News staff has sent emails pointing to the overall idea of "news quality" as being the reason for the actions taken. But the problem is websites that exhibit obvious use of writing approaches to gain traffic, specifically from Associated Content are allowed to remain on Google News, where small, independent blogs, which have better track records of non-abuse, are taken off Google News.

This happened to Zennie62.com, even though this blogger has taken great steps - even to blocking other Zennie62 bloggers from posting "illegal" blogs - to maintain quality blog posts. (The good news for Zennie62, is that the traffic impact has only been a negative 10 percent to 18 percent per day, from overall page view count data. That's far less than the 50 percent to 90 percent in other blog cases.)

Second, Google News staff's actions have resulted in an uncomfortably large number of Liberal Blogs being removed from Google News, like VF Daily, the blog of Vanity Fair, while Conservative Blogs, like Red State, curiously remain in place on Google News.  The other blogs are "banished" to Google Blog Search level.  Google Blog Search is not shown as a first-click option in Google search results.

In claiming "news quality" as the reason for the blog taken down action, Google News staff is harming free expression and overall diversity of opinions expressed, and flat out telling a lie as well. "News quality" is attacked whenever the person issuing the attack disagrees with the content of the blog that's being questioned. Rare is the case that a person will attack a blog who's content they agree with.

Google's other claim is that the blog post does not "add new information" to the news.  But in that claim Google unknowingly shows its actions to be not legal, for blogs are and have been considered an "echo" chamber, where one idea is commonly repeated by other blogs (this is confirmed in a study called Blogs Are Echo Chambers).  That's the reason the media refers to the "blogosphere's" take, be it the Liberal, Conservative, or Tech blogosphere.  It's not the blog's role to necessarily create new news, but to reflect the overall speech Zeitgeist of the day.

That's why Google News staff is not telling the truth, and if it is, then what it's doing is not legal - Google can't win. That's why the entire Google News action is subject to legal review. It is unconstitutional purely because of the overall size of Google.   But with that, Yahoo and Microsoft's Bing will have to fall in line with what happens to Google in the wake of this skirmish.

Google's market share for search, estimated at 63 percent as of this writing, is such that Google News becomes the online "controller" of what is news for everyone because Google News results are prominently displayed on the front page of a search result.

What must happen is that the FCC and perhaps ultimately The Supreme Court, will have to step in and set a standard for the presentation of online news that does not harm free speech and represents the FCC's calls for diversity and openness online.   Right now, Google's actions are destroying those objectives in practice.

What should Google do to right this wrong?  It goes beyond just reinstating the blogs removed from Google News.  This solution offered will open Google News to blogs and citizen journalists and give a much-needed and understood roadmap for the blogger to follow:

1) The Google News results should include a list of the latest keyword-relevant blog posts from Google Blog Search, and the top blog posts from that should be on the front of the search page.  Of course, because of the constant addition and indexing of blog posts, the results will change frequently, much like those for Twitter on Google, but that's better than what exists today.  

2) A clear set of instructions on how to redesign a blog for inclusion into Google News, must be posted and accessible via link from the results for Google News searches.   Also, all blogspot.com blogs, owned by Google, should have a Newssite map code that can be installed.  Currently, Google subordinates its own blogspot blogs, and does not tell users of Blogger how to upgrade their blog templates for better results in search or inclusion to Google News.  

3) Google News staff must give takedown warnings one month before such actions are done, and explain what the problem is to the webmaster.  That would eliminate the current appearance of favoritism and give the webmaster a chance to correct a problem, if it does exist.   

Google News 'Massacre' Affects Small Business Bloggers

As Zennie pointed out earlier in his post, "Google News Meta Tags Program Killing Blog Listings" Google News has done a lot to "clean out" their database of small publishers. Basically, the decision was made without warning, without explanation, and without any input from Google Staff to publishers.

There are a couple of things at play, here and many unanswered questions. First, many blog owners have been sent out generic emails which state that their blogs don't meet "quality guidelines."

Really? What are the quality guidelines? I'd link to a list of them...but guess what? There are none! A review of some of the publishers who have reported their blogs to be de-listed leaves one scratching their head. Why are publishers who have been listed for several years, who give credit to their sources via links, and who engage readers in meaningful conversations de-listed while some content mills get to stay listed?

Scott Rosenberg at Salon.com called out one Associated Content writer for his overuse of the popular search key "Dr. Laura n-word" back in August. A cursory glance at the link to the piece
leads you to the
author's page... and guess what? The same author is still using practices, which Rosenberg describes as "vein, cobbled together with no care beyond an effortful -- and, I guess, successful -- determination to catch Google's eye by repeating the phrase...as many times as possible."

A quick look at Google's small amount of guidelines that are available in the Webmaster tools claims that you are supposed to make your content "primarily for users, not search engines" and that a Webmaster should ask him/herself before posting anything "does this help my users, would I do this if search engines didn't exist?" It's important to note that these are quality guidelines in general - not just for Google News. There are no such guidelines, to this blogger's knowledge, of any special quality guidelines for Google News alone.

The whole "content farm" and small publisher backlash has been a long time coming. Last year, Belinda Luscombe at Time Magazine wrote an article titled "Why Does Google Search Love Examiner.com?" The article goes on to say that articles on the site are a compendium of tidbits culled from other websites, neither advancing the story nor bringing any insight (a description, it should be noted, that can be just as fairly applied to many offerings of more mainstream media). Most Examiners are not journalists, and their prose is not edited."

This all goes against the premise of Google News which is "original" content - which you will find on sites like Zennie62.com and also ours and several other recently banned publishers.

There are a couple of questions that I, along with thousands of other small business bloggers, want answered. 1) What determined who got erased from the Google News database 2) Why isn't everyone treated the same? Why are there still small publishers in News? And most importantly...why aren't Google employees responding to the many publisher pleas in their "help" forum?

The Effects of Google's Blog 'Massacre' On Me

How has this affected this small business blogger? Our traffic has declined about 90%, and our ad revenue about the same. Therefore, it's not only our small business that has been affected - it's also the small business ad networks that we used in addition to Google Adsense. In addition, we had to tell our writers to 'hold off' on hyper posting until we can either get re-listed with Google News or figure out how to build our traffic up to a base where we can afford to pay writers.

We, too, contacted Google News explaining that we had installed a plugin to solve the "meta tag" compliance issues Zennie has discussed earlier. We explained that we hired an editor (who we will try to retain, but may not be able to), and outlined all we have done to "comply" with the implied quality guidelines.

The response we got was the same response Zennie got which read:We periodically review news sources, particularly following user complaints, to ensure Google News offers a high quality experience for our

Upon reviewing your site, we found that we can no longer include it in Google News at this time. We have certain guidelines in place regarding the quality of sites which are included in the Google News index

If your site is in violation of these guidelines, it will not be added to Google News. Please feel free to review these guidelines at the following link:]Please note that you'll still be able to find your site in Google Web Search and other Google services.

Thanks for your interest in Google News.

The Google News Team

Back to the drawing board.

This isn't right. There are too many weird factors at play. Is Google trying to suppress the voice of the independent blogger? Is Google giving in to "big media", paving the way to the day where we will have to pay publications for their online information?

All I know is that the actions are blatantly un-American, infringe on our rights, and borderline on violating first Amendment rights....but Why? Who's behind this recent action by Google? The same action which has added quite possibly 10-20 more people to the ranks of the unemployed - just on my publication (which has no relation to Zennie62.com) alone? Why was this move made over the holiday, and why won't Google reply to any inquiries from frantic publishers willing to bend over backwards and do whatever is necessary to keep Google happy?

Cyber Monday deals? How about free?

Today, Friday, is "Black Friday," but we're already talking about "Cyber Monday." America's into the period, the holidays, where consumption of goods, far more than services, is pushed.

At a time when unemployment rates are still high, and the unemployed are, in some cases, waiting to determine if Congress is going to extend the Unemployment Benefits they get, how about one day that's free? Why not have the Cyber Monday deals be for free?

While scary at first, a series of free Cyber Monday deals would help businesses clear out inventories, while allowing people to get what they need even while they don't have money coming in. To make it better, the firm's offering such deep discounts would be able to write them off.

That's right. Offering free deals is a form of charity, as this logic goes, so why not allow the businesses doing so to write off the cost of each item? It's a kind of tax credit for doing good.

Who could benefit from this? Large retailers with strong online sales programs, for one and enough reserves to be able to offer the program, then enjoy the tax benefits the next year.

Cyber Monday doesn't have to be a "let's see if we can make them part with their money" time in our lives. With so many people in need of a helping hand, this idea is just the solution for them, and helps the companies who chose to help them, too.

Happy Thanksgiving thoughts, happy to be alive

This Thanksgiving blog post is backwards; its supposed to be done in the morning. But now, with my belly full of food and drink it just seemed like a good idea to jot a few thoughts down in brief.

I'm thankful to be alive. Especially since two of my fathers and a number of my friends have died and passed on to Heaven. I think of people like Michael McQuire, who died at 48 of heart failure, and Pernell Harris who died at 40 of what appeared to be an aneurysm.  Then my father Zenophon Abraham, Sr, who passed away from Prostate Cancer, as did my stepfather Chester Yerger, Jr. and both in 2005.  And from Skyline High School, Ann Lucas passed at just 47 from cancer.  

And when people I knew passed in their 20s it was generally from a car accident, which was the case for the great Sam Peters, who was my friend at Cal Berkeley.   I think of all the people who have passed on and wonder what I'm doing here and what this is about.  That's why I turn to God.

Then, I think of all of my blessings.  Like my current good health and appearance.  I think of my Mom and how I'm blessed to have her here.  And I think of how happy I am to have been able to craft a living from my talent, and not be trapped in doing something just to make money.  

I'm blessed to have met a number of amazing people, from professors, to actors and actresses and movie producers and NFL team owners, and NFL commissioners.  The list goes on.  

I'm happy for the people I know and the few really good friends I have.  I do wish some people I knew were more genuine.  That is disappointing.

But overall, I've got a lot to be thankful for.  Overall, my Mom's here and she's my only direct family remaining.  

I'm also thankful for Roosters in Oakland.

United Airlines 747-400 Economy Plus - Zennie62.com

This is the Zennie62.com video recap of my United 747 plane ride from Chicago to San Francisco in Economy Plus last week. The highlight was the food selection, a "wrap" sandwich, and the movie "Despicable Me," as well as San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Page Editor John Diaz sitting two rows ahead of me.

The area was just a bit cramped, but then I'm used to the United 747 First Class seating. But that written, overall, it was great. (For those of you who don't know, I fly standby as my Mom worked for United, so UAL is pretty much all I've known.)

 I miss the days when 747s had "Coach Lounges" where one could go and talk with people. Of course, I was a little boy then.

Saints v. Cowboys: Saints up 29-27, Dallas trailed by 17 #saints #cowboys

Thanksgiving NFL football has seldom been better. After down by as much as 17 to 0, the Dallas Cowboys under Interim Head Coach Jason Garrett, have scored 27 points to be up 27 to 23 over the New Orleans Saints. Then, with just under 2 minutes to go, the Saints just scored a touchdown to go up by three points.

The Dallas Cowboys have to go to within field goal range to tie, touchdown to win over the World Champion Saints.

The game, if Dallas should come back to win, should be enough to take the "Interim" tag off Jason Garrett's title. Regardless of the outcome, the Dallas Cowboys has showed a great combination of fight and disciplined play under pressure. Something they've not done all year.

What Dallas is extensively using is a good, well executed short passing game. Perhaps former Head Coach Wade Phillips didn't want such a passing attack. That has to be the reason, because this group's not afraid to use the latest short passing concepts as part of it's attack.

Stay tuned

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 Thoughts

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was originally advertised as a 3D movie which brought a lot of hype to the movie - even for those who were not particularly fond of Harry Potter.  (The movie has made $125.1 million since last weekend according to The Independent.)

Part one seems to have the purpose of setting up the scene and excitement for part two of this movie, because there isn't much that really stands out as being too remarkable or memorable after seeing this movie. This is coming from someone who is not particularly a Harry Potter fanatic, but the ending was more enjoyable than the beginning.

There are great graphics, but it just brings the thought of how much better the movie would look had it been put out in 3D. Part two is set to be released in 3D.

The pace of the storyline for part one seemed quick - although the movie was over two hours long. It didn't drone on, which was pleasant.

Without giving away too much - there is a brief scene that involves some strange nudity. The whole movie is really dark and dismal - it wasn't expected to be a bright and happy film, but the whole thing just seems so depressing and dark. Hopefully it won't fall into the same category as Spiderman 3 (which has been nicknamed Spiderman 3-Emo).

At the end one of the cutest characters dies (hopefully that doesn't give too much away), and it's quite upsetting.

It is surprising that there are a lot of Harry Potter fans who exist that who don't actually read the books - but I guess it is possible to just be a fan of the movies - it makes it so the ending and entire plot isn't already known. Maybe Harry Potter is more enjoyable that way.

Being someone who read the first four books and has watched some of the movies (not by choice) it wasn't too terrible to watch in theaters and it wasn't a waste of money, but seeing part two in 3D will probably be more enjoyable and thus lead to a more exciting and interesting review.

This isn't so much a review, because if it was a review the plot/story line would be more explained and elaborated upon, but this is mostly just a critique of the movie as a whole.