In recent years, we have come to believe that the Internet is a limitless repository, where anything can be accessed indefinitely. This is not the case, however, as Internet giant CNET has recently taken steps to delete its old articles in order to game Google.
This is not a new development, however. CNET, which is owned by CBS Interactive, has been deleting articles and other content for some time now. The reason for this is twofold: first, due to increased competition for search engine visibility, CNET has had to take drastic measures in order to stay competitive. Second, and perhaps more worrying, the company has been removing content that does not meet its editorial standards or that has become outdated.
The practice of deleting content from websites to improve their search engine rankings is known as “content spinning” and CNET has been called out by Google for the practice multiple times. Google has even gone so far as to forbid content spinning in their Google Webmaster FAQ page. However, CNET has been openly deleting articles for some time now, which violates multiple Google policies.
This practice has been criticized for the obvious implications it has on the longevity of Internet content. It would seem that the idea of the Web being a permanent repository for information, and which could be accessed ad infinitum, is quickly fading away. The recent development of companies like CNET openly deleting content to game Google search results only reinforces this.
The truth of the matter is that the Internet is not all that permanent, and companies like CNET are proving that. While the practice of content spinning is not illegal, it does raise some troubling questions about the future of content on the Internet. It seems that, for all its promises, the Internet is quickly becoming just another place where information can be manipulated and controlled.
