Controversial Google Toolbar Autolink Feature To Be Automatically Pushed To Toolbar Users
Thanks to Google Affiliate for starting me on a web search that filled me in on the latest in the Google Autolink controversy. If you're not familiar with Google's Autolink, it's an interesting and highly controversial new feature of the Google toolbar, which has to be one of the most commonly downloaded browser plug-ins ever. As described in an eWeek Article that Google Affiliate linked to through Yahoo news and other places, AutoLink can turn a Web page's street addresses to links to Google maps, Mapquest maps, or Yahoo maps. It can change package tracking information to links to UPS tracking and book ISBN numbers to links to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other booksellers links. It can even change vehicle VIN numbers into hyperlinks to CarFax and Autocheck. AutoLink has been in Beta since February, but over the next few weeks Google will be pushing it out to everyone who has the Google toolbar as an automatic update. It does require the user to click on an AutoLink button on the toolbar, apparently, but then it automatically inserts links on the current Web page - regardless of the fact that it may be linking to a Web sites competitors or taking business away from a site. Thus the controversy among webmasters! I've got mixed feelings on this one. On the one hand, it's disturbingly similar to the controversy over Microsoft's SmartLinks...but at least this does require user action to insert the links. Still, when put together with other recent actions of Google, it is enough to make one wonder where things are going. Read more about this latest news on Autolink in the Google toolbar on Yahoo... Webmasters - Want to block Autolink on your website? Learn how to block Google Autolink in this companion article in Timberway.com Webmaster News... Technorati tags: Google toolbar Autolink
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