Search My Blog

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

ISPs Caught Hijacking & Redirecting Search Results

ISPs Caught Hijacking & Redirecting Search Results

The New Scientist reports that several ISPs are allegedly hijacking searches conducted on search engines and redirecting in order to make a quick profit.

A searcher would search for a keyword such as [apple] and the ISP may take that user through a redirect via an affiliate program to earn potential commissions on a merchant’s web site. The New Scientist explains:

The redirection can also produce unwanted results. A user wanting to read an article in The Wall Street Journal, for instance, might search for “wsj”; the redirection system would take them to a page offering subscription deals for the paper. Searches for “kindle” are sent to Amazon, the company that makes the e-book reader of that name. A normal search for the term provides links to Wikipedia, reviews of the device and links to Kindles for sale on eBay.
Read more...
http://searchengineland.com/isps-caught-hijacking-redirecting-search-results-88714

I have been getting a very odd looking "Search Results" Page from my ISP Charter, often when I click on a link in Google. I thought it was because of my Router not Supporting the IPV6 Protocol and my my ISP not being ready to Support a redirect to IPV4 for me. But, now I wonder... Of course I never click on any of the links. Cause it just Plain Pisses me OFF!

Don



No comments: