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A Custom Domain Published Blog Is Bound By TOS

Some blog owners like Blogger One Button Publishing - but they don't like the restrictions . Possibly observing the chaotic freedom of WordPress self hosted blogs, they wonder if custom domain publishing provides the same freedom. If I pay for my domain, can I host porn with ads? Unfortunately, custom domain publishing, unlike WordPress self hosted blogs, still uses the Blogger dashboard - and still publishes content which is accessible using "blogspot.com".

Proactive Content Removal Helps Avoid Problems

We occasionally see a confused content thief / spammer, unsure why the blog was deleted. I removed all of the content that I was told to remove. Why was my blog deleted? or Why was my blog restored, then deleted the following week? Some blog owners do not understand the consequences of repeated review. The more times your blog is reviewed, the more completely and carefully the content will be examined .

GPT (PTC, PTS, PTV) Is Unwelcome, Click Fraud

Some spammers do not appreciate the subtle details of the Blogger anti-spam policies . Spam: Spam takes several forms in Blogger, all of which can result in deletion of your account or blog. Some examples include creating blogs designed to drive traffic to your site or to move it up in search listings, posting comments on other people's blogs just to promote your site or product, and scraping existing content from other sources for the primary purpose of generating revenue or other personal gains.

Unique Content Requires More Than Hand Typing

We see discussions, in other forums - between a blog owner and an expert, discussing the necessity for unique content. When advised that his blog is a problem because it is simply copy and pasted material, the response from some blog owners focuses on the term "copy and paste". I type everything by hand, word by word! I do not copy, then paste! But hand typed or not, the text can be easily Googled, and found in larger and better written websites. Neither AdSense, Blogger, or Google Search care whether you use the keyboard or the mouse, to add content into post editor. You can type an article by hand - or you can highlight, then select "Copy" from the right click context menu, and finally select "Paste" from the right click context menu - and get the same result.

Diverse And Large Blogs Require More Effort

An interesting attitude is seen, from some owners of large and unfocused blogs. It's normal, with so many articles in a blog, to have some reports (DMCA / TOS complaints). It's normal, yes. That does not make it acceptable - or beneficial. If you want to publish a large blog - and make lots of money - you have to focus or limit your efforts. You need to spend as much time - if not more time - reviewing content for legality, than owners of comparable, smaller blogs. You can't take time away from reviewing, to create and publish more content - then justify your failure to stay within the limits, by implying that it's normal to have posts that push the limits .

Blogger Can't Limit Legal Action, By Your Policy

Some blog owners expect to get a slap on the wrist, for each TOS violation. I had a notice on the blog. If anybody objects to what I'm doing, just tell me - and I'll remove the offending content! Why was my blog deleted? These owners plan blog content, based on doing what they want - hoping that Blogger will make them a list, over and over again, identifying their mistakes. Don't do that! That attitude is similar to what we hear from some politicians. It's not a crime, until I get caught!

Non English Language Blogs, And Abuse Review

With Blogger blogs becoming more popular in countries where English is not the native language, we've seen a lot of blogs classified as spam - both righteously, and spuriously. Most spam reviews, originally, involved blogs with commercial spam - excessive advertisements, with little subject content. As the focus of spam classification shifted to blogs with content, we've been seeing more non commercial classifications - large blogs with unfocused subjects, and content scraped or syndicated. Combining the two trends - more blogs in non English languages, and spam classifications which focus on non commercial content, we see blogs which require more people to review. And the people required need familiarity with the languages, and the subjects, of the blogs which need review.

"Your Content Is Forever" Has Limitations

Many blog owners would like to retrieve deleted blogs - or contents of deleted blogs - or contents of live blogs, deleted. Some folks just deleted their blog, and immediately realised a mistake. Others deleted a blog, long ago. Some had their blog, deleted by Blogger - and just want the content back, so they can "start over". Some may delete a post, and realise that mistake. Others make a mistake with content, and find Blogger deleted the blog. And some get a new job, graduate from school, get a new ISP - and realise, too late, that they forgot to update their Blogger account to use the new email address for account recovery.

Blogger Gives You A Second Chance - If You Act

As Blogger fine tunes their abuse and spam classifiers, we're seeing chronic abusers admitting their mistakes, in Blogger Help Forum: Learn More About Blogger . My Blogger account was just deleted! Recently, we received a message from Blogger, advising that one of our articles has been deleted because of copyright issues. We were further advised that if we re published, Blogger would have consider it as an act of rebellion against Blogger's policy. In most cases, this would represent a non repentant abuser, righteously deleted.

Observe The Spirit Of The Law, Not Just The Letter

We see too many problem reports, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue , about inconsistent content penalties . My blog was deleted - then I got a letter of apology from Blogger. But my blog was deleted, again! and My blog does not contain copied content, why was it deleted? These blog owners, and others, are complying with the letter of the law - as they see important. Unfortunately, other blog and website owners have rights too - and Blogger will also enforce their rights - now, and in the future. To have a righteous blog, you have to remain innocent of all possible TOS violation categories.

Report Locally Offensive Blogs Using The Courts

Some blogs offend their readers - and the readers are legitimately concerned about viewing inappropriate content. Instructed in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue , to report offensive blogs using the right complaint form , they may reply I did - several times, but with no result! In some cases, the blogs in question may be offensive only to a local audience. Though distasteful, blogs should not be unfairly censored.

Content Review Is Not As Simple As Spam Review

We've been providing advice for blog owners, unhappy about unfair spam classification, for a few years, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue . Some blog owners have similar questions about unfair objectionable content classification. Content Warning Some readers of this blog have contacted Google because they believe this blog's content is objectionable. In general, Google does not review nor do we endorse the content of this or any blog. For more information about our content policies, please visit the Blogger  Terms of Service . These blog owners, seeing how objectively we are able to evaluate spam classifications, request similar service for content classifications.

Nude Celebrity Blogs Are Not Allowed In Blogger

We've had some photo / video blogs under review recently, and confirmed as TOS Violations. The citations were first seen late last year, and associated with the "Jennifer Lawrence" / "Anna Kendrick" celebrity leak photos scandal . We're asking Blogger Support for details of the policy - but right now it appears that Google is now forbidding any "nude celebrity" photos or videos, after their public relations problems surrounding the Jennifer Lawrence photos.

Gambling Blogs Are Not Allowed In Blogger

Recently, we've had a few unsatisfied blog owners, with blogs deleted for TOS violation. When able to research cached content, we see various posts with large, mysterious spreadsheets - and flashy ads with affiliate links. When we look closer at the content, we see the spreadsheets appear to provide betting odds - and the ads link to various online betting services. The blogs in question are providing gambling services or bookmaking. Some blog owners prefer to call this "sports betting".

GPT / PTC / PTS Content Is Not Welcome, In Blogger

One of the most easily overlooked details, about Blogger blog content , is that GPT / PTC / PTS Content is not suitable, for Blogger blogs. Blogger Content Policy has a section which describes GPT / PTC / PTS Content, in passing . Spam: Spam takes several forms in Blogger, all of which can result in deletion of your account or blog. Some examples include creating blogs designed to drive traffic to your site or to move it up in search listings, posting comments on other people's blogs just to promote your site or product, and scraping existing content from other sources for the primary purpose of generating revenue or other personal gains. Unfortunately, spammers have been imaginatively subtle, in their description of various make money fast programmes - and not so many blog owners think it necessary to contact a lawyer, to interpret the Content Policy document, when planning their new blog.

Don't Try To Map The Boundaries Of Abusive Content

We continue to see signs of innovative publishing technique, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken , about deleted / suspended Blogger accounts, and deleted blogs. My Blogger account was just deleted! I have gotten a few DMCA complaints, in the past - but I always deleted the offending posts! Why were all of my blogs just deleted? This blog owner does not understand that multiple offenses must be resolved , to avoid abuse classification - and eventual account deletion .

Complaint Volume Affects Speed Of Abuse Resolution

We see various complaints, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken , about perceived poor response, in removing offensive blogs. I've reported this blog, repeatedly, for impersonating me - and it's still online! or That other blog was removed from service after only a couple of days! Why is this blog still online?? These bloggers do not understand that complaint volume, against different blogs, can affect how promptly Blogger Policy / Google Legal can take action, and remove problem blogs.

Private Blogs, And Abuse Classification

A few blog owners are unclear about the relationship between private blog access, and abuse (malware, porn, spam) classification. In general, private blogs are not any less vulnerable to abuse classification, than public blogs. Blogs, designated as "private", are protected against being viewed by people who do not have permission. Blogs, designated as "private", are not protected against being scanned by robotic processes. Search engine indexing bots will surf blogs - private or public - equally well. That said, there are non imaginary differences, between indexing of private and public blogs.