Sidewiki is a gadget from Google that allows people with Google Toolbar installed to use it to comment on any site on the web without moderation. I say “without moderation” because the only way to get a bad comment taken care of is to wait up to 48 hours for the Google team to review and possibly remove, and that’s not moderation.
The site owner has no control about what’s said on Sidewiki and the thing sites right on top of your site. Far different from a social site you must click to and search for comments on.
Picture Google having enough moderators for the world’s largest forum ever. That’s not possible, so neither is handling the misuse of Sidewiki to spam sites, or competitors bad mouthing each others’ sites, right on their sites.
Sylvie Fortin breaks down what she thinks of Sidewiki, and I agree with her…
This is exactly as if Google installed a gigantic graffiti wall in front of your storefront, handed out paint cans, and invited passers-by to write all over the wall, without giving YOU the ability to erase anything. Ummm. Are they serious? Do they actually believe that only honest people would ever use the wall?
The only reasonable solution to the Google Sidewiki issue is to block it from being used on your site. Luckily, Robert Plank came to our rescue with a free Wordpress plugin that does just that.
Its called Side Blocker and it is a free Wordpress plugin with the sole missions of preventing Sidewiki from functioning on your Wordpress blog.
If you are on the permalink of this post, you will see characters at the end of the URL which will give you a clue as to how the Sidewiki blocker works.
You can download the Wordpress plugin, Side Blocker to protect your Wordpress blog.
Other Sidewiki blockers for other types of sites can be found on Sylvie’s post.
I’m all for full disclosure and transparency. But allowing people to tag your site in any way they like, regardless of the truth and without consequences, is just a bad idea all around.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I surely understand why many webmasters don’t like SideWiki and fear that competitors will use it to add comments to your site that will be as helpful as the comments that graffiti artists add to bathroom walls.
You should monitor the SideWiki comments on your own site(s) closely and act promptly on negative comments. There are now tools available that can monitor SideWiki comments for you, and alert you when new comments are posted.
http://www.updatepatrol.com/monitor-sidewiki-comments-and-sidewiki-alerts.html
Sidewiki would just seem to make life harder. Why bother?
Well, tough!
It’s the digital era, adapt or die!!