Michael Kassner at Techrepublic points out how Google Instant plays into the hands of black hat SEO operators:

“This article was supposed to be solely about Blackhat SEO and its implications. During my research, I came across a new exploit, and experts are saying it’s Blackhat SEO on steroids. So, plan B.

Before I get to the details, I want to show you what diverted me. I started typing antivirus into Google’s web page. As you can see below, I only got to anti and search suggestions started popping up.

Okay, that’s cool. I remember reading that Google rolled out a new technology called Instant. It attempts to predict what search terms I want and provides suggested links in a drop-down box. After the initial “wow factor” wore off, I realized the first suggestion Google offered was antivir solution pro.

In the world of IT security, that’s a problem. Antivir Solution Pro is a rogue anti-spyware application laced with malware. Once installed, it hijacks the computer and inundates users with fake security pop ups. The ultimate scam comes into play when users are asked to buy a license that does absolutely nothing. I can’t believe Google allowed that.

Well, I overreacted somewhat. The links associated with Antivir Solution Pro ended up being not what I thought. Google returned pages on how to remove the malware. That’s a relief.

My next question was: Are the links for real? Antivir Solution Pro is all about spoofing users. It turns out that’s a good question. Apparently, there is a new and troublesome exploit that we need to be aware of. It has to do with SEO……”

Read the rest at techrepublic.

Comment:

I find this new Google technology innovation quite puzzling.  People need to get results of searches before they’ve finished searching? Or even before they’ve properly formulated their thoughts? Is this a service customers really want, or is it something Google serves them in a default format hoping people will just adjust to the new way of doing things rather than make the effort to opt out.

Marketing is already far too aggressive and in your face. Just the other day, a telemarketer called up, fishing for information. The man posed as a business contact and seemed to know my first name. If I’d been in a hurry I might have given him the information he wanted without a thought. But fortunately I had my wits about me and cut him off with my own questions. I always use the same formula: I’m sorry, there’s no one here who can talk to you. Can I take a name, number, and a message?  That shut him up. Sometimes I’m not so lucky.

The problem is aggressive marketers always stay within the law. Which means the law can never be written to take care of everything unscrupulous people might come up with. Even with all the consumer protection laws and regulations around, predators can always con naive or stupid people with some new gimmick or scam.

The answer is not new laws. It’s education, social stigmatization of predation, and the encouragement of personal responsibility and initiative at every level. Government “guarantees” and “protections” ultimately only allow people to become lazy about doing their own due diligence…and thus encourage risky behavior. It’s that simple.

Still, I’m not a dogmatist and I’m willing to believe there’s room for some..some.. protective legislation at local levels, IF it’s very simple and direct and tailored to specific situations. That’s mainly because I’m not sure libertarian theory takes into account the extremely coercive nature of modern advertising or the nuances of psychological compulsion, which I think are rather large blind -spots in libertarian theory.

But they’re not nearly as large as the blind-spot the left has about government power.