Google expert: Frustrate spammers

Category: Security

April 28th 08, 10:49

Website operators have been advised by a prominent Google security expert to frustrate spammers in order to protect sites.

Matt Cutts, head of Google Webspam, told the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco that spammers were only human and could succumb easily to frustration, reports CNET News.

Top techniques recommended by Mr Cutts - who earned the nickname Porn Cookie Guy when he offered his wife's homemade cookies to any user who found unwanted pornography in their search results - included captcha systems.

These pose questions to users, from simple maths queries to requests to identify kitten photos - which can help determine that comments are being posted by real people and not bots.

Mr Cutts also said that search engine optimisation (SEO) companies can be useful allies in the drive to improve website security.

"SEO is not spam. Google does not hate SEO.

"There are plenty of white-hat SEO [companies] who can help you out," he reportedly said.

This news story was brought to you by Bluhalo, a leading UK digital agency.

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