February 18, 2005

Google's browser toolbar has a new feature called AutoLink that has many web site operators hopping mad. The feature creates artificial links on displayed web pages and directs traffic towards destinations selected by Google. For instance, ISBN numbers are converted into links to Amazon, addresses are converted to links to Google Maps, and so on. Web site operators are extremely concerned because the AutoLink feature does two highly unethical things. First, it alters both the content and the look & feel of a site, which may in fact be a violation of copyright law. Secondly, and more importantly, AutoLink steals web traffic away from web sites without their owners' permission.

Here are the Links

The CNET Story Here