Worried by Search Results for "My Name" and "Hubpages"

1. 97

   Alison Grahamposted 10 years ago

   I just did a search using my hubpages name and Hubpages (both in quotes) and got some worrying results.
   
   For example 70.40.205.43 / alison-graham-on-hubpages .htm (spaces inserted to avoid posting a link here.)
   
   This result returned a page entitled Alison Graham on Hubpages (but nothing to do with me) and a load of links purporting to be to some of my (and other hubbers) hubs but which point to other pages on that website and do not link to hubpages.
   
   There are lots more like this page with a very similar format
   
   **** Then there are ones like this site:-
   
   http://www. coervermovespa. com/groups/ alison-graham-on-hubpages/ (spaces inserted to avoid posting a link here.)
   
   Which is a page of spun rubbish purporting to be a 'group' created by someone around five months ago.
   
   Again no links back to my actual pages here
   
   Is there anything I can do about this sort of rubbish? Will it harm my Hubs' standing in search results? As there are no links to my pages and hardly any of my content, I don't think I could do a DMCA?

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   1. 71

      Maina Ndunguposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I also found two pages using my HP name not long ago and posted a forum thread here. A reply from a Hubpages staff member informed that your name cannot be copyrighted.
      Don't know what they do with these names. Guess it's a matter of wait and see.

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   2. 71

      Matthew Meyerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      If you find your original copyrighted images or text has been used without your permission, then a DMCA NOI may be appropriate.
      You can find help filing one here if you decide to do so.
      http://hubpages.com/learningcenter/how- … -complaint

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      1. 86

         rebekahELLEposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         What do we do if we find pages such as the OP has found?  I also have found sites with a title of my hub and my hubbername used to direct searchers to rubbish pages having nothing to do with the content of the hub. There is no way to contact them or leave a message.  Can a DMCA be used with these sites?  They create different accounts to make similar pages.

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         1. 65

            relacheposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            You can only file a Notice Of Infringement when your copyrights have been violated.  If that's the case, then yes.
            
            But if your copyrights have not been violated, then legally you have no grounds for filing that type of complaint.

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            1. 86

               rebekahELLEposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               They are using the title of a hub which ranks well along with my name.

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   3. 70

      Maffew Jamesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Report it to Google as spam through their spam report tool.
      
      https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools … form?hl=en
      
      You need to list the URL, search phrase used in Google, and then explain why it is spam. The search phrase is the keyword you entered that brought up the spam result in search. Whilst Google doesn't directly act on every single spam report they receive, each spam report likely contributes to improvement of their algorithms that means results like these are less likely to appear.
      
      If spam sites like this do actually link to you, disavow the links in your Webmaster Tools account. You don't want links from spam sites because Google can see it as a sign that your own site is spam or buying links and will penalise you for it.
      
      Unless the site has used your content though, you can't submit a DMCA. The DMCA is a cease and desist notice that tells an entity it is violating your copyright by using your content without permission. An entity is not legally liable unless it has been made aware it is violating your copyright. If the material is not removed after you have sent a DMCA, they are legally liable should you choose to sue them.
      
      This is why a host that receives a DMCA will usually remove the content promptly, because failing to do so leaves them open to a lawsuit. The DMCA itself carries no particular power and is only valid in the US and some other countries that choose to honour it through similar laws.

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      1. 97

         Alison Grahamposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Thank you Matthew, I did not know about the 'spam' tool and will certainly look into this. Many thanks for taking the trouble to write a clear and helpful reply, much appreciated.

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2. 86

   jansharesposted 10 years ago

   OMG, Alison. I just did it, put in my name and hubpages and got of bunch of jibbrish results, made up of pieces of my bio, hub titles, and hub pics (my own photos!). It looks awful. The good news is that the first search result is the direct link to my subdomain.

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   1. 78

      Barbara Kayposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I had the same thing happen, but my Hubpage account did come up first.

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3. 97

   Kylyssaposted 10 years ago

   Try my username, Kylyssa, plus HubPages if want to see something really depressing. The only thing that's actually me that shows up before the third page of Google results is a stupid post I made asking for help when I first got moved to HubPages. Almost every result is some kind of website that makes no sort of sense at all with my HubPages subdomain name either in the URL or on the page itself.
   
   I almost wonder if it isn't black hat negative SEO to destroy Google tolerance for HubPages usernames?

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4. 86

   rebekahELLEposted 10 years ago

   Thanks for the helpful post, Maffew.  Now I know what to do.

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