Mashable - The Social Media Guide - Latest Comments in Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

Re: Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

Brussels — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:09:42 -0000

actually there is a google maps based site that has near realtime Belgian traffic news... hmm ;) www.expatlist.be/maps.php

Re: Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

Neill D. Abayon — Thu, 29 May 2008 13:23:30 -0000

This is along dispute. It may take a little while before this issue will be covered up.

Re: Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

Miss Thang — Thu, 29 May 2008 05:18:28 -0000

I think for the Belgian newspapers its a way to get Google to give them lots of money or they just dont understand how the internet works. Hate them or like them Google are good at what they do and most internet users use it to search for information. All sounds like a joke because you have educated people leading these newspapers and you would think they would understand better. Why build a website if you dont want people to search for it.

Re: Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

Xavier Damman — Wed, 28 May 2008 15:13:35 -0000

I'm a Belgian French speaker and yet totally ashamed by these newspapers.
Should be very interesting to make a survey to know how many of their online readers do support that action.
Probably the same number of persons who support BHV (private joke).

Re: Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

Robin Wauters — Wed, 28 May 2008 14:27:07 -0000

Joshua, we always make jokes about how people from Holland can be as ignorant as they are arrogant, here in Belgium. Well, your comment shows that we are right (again).

That said, I'm ashamed about those French-speaking publishers not understanding how the internet works. They deserve to be served Dutch beer the rest of their lives as a severe punishment.

Re: Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

Matt — Wed, 28 May 2008 13:54:25 -0000

No harm done then. Maybe I jumped the gun too fast and interpreted it wrong.

By this my apologies too then =]

Re: Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

Ian Kemmish — Wed, 28 May 2008 12:51:08 -0000

Maybe they are just ahead of the game. Maybe everyone in Belgium uses ad blocking software to prevent online advertising from slowing their computer and compromising its security. (Everyone I'm personally acquainted with here in the UK does.) Maybe they figure that eventually even Madison Ave will wake up to this and stop wasting money on useless online advertising. Maybe they figure that by that time, the people who didn't abandon print will be in the box seat....

Re: Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

modemlooper — Wed, 28 May 2008 12:37:49 -0000

can someone slide them a search engine marketing handbook for dummies please.

Re: Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

Adam Hirsch — Wed, 28 May 2008 11:38:48 -0000

Hysterical. It's so true.

Re: Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

Joshua — Wed, 28 May 2008 11:18:17 -0000

We always make jokes about how dumb Belgians are, here in Holland. Well, this one shows that we are right (again).

Re: Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

Matt — Wed, 28 May 2008 10:55:46 -0000

As a Belgian I have to say I don't like your opening statement. Shit on the people (webmasters) that never heard of a robottext, preventing spiders from crawling their site. But don't generalise a whole country thinking they're still living in the Dark ages or something to that order.

Anyway, It was the same with that idiot porn site that sued google for indexing their images in their image search results.

On both of these cases it's all the webmasters fault. Case closed.

Re: Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

* Miss Universe — Wed, 28 May 2008 10:31:24 -0000

Wouldn't it be a riot if someone got to the point of suing Digg either for quoting their article in the description or using a thumbnail of a copyright image

Re: Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

youporn — Wed, 28 May 2008 10:22:26 -0000

I didn't know that "placing link" and fair use when you use copyrighted material.
I think google deserve to be punished

Re: Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

Claye — Wed, 28 May 2008 10:11:21 -0000

Dang it, I knew I should have told my Belgian niece not to cut out that Copiepresse article and glue it (without permission) in her presentation on Belgian history... we better get a lawyer.

Re: Belgian Newspapers Sue Google For Sending Them Traffic – Again

Marc Beharry — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:38:56 -0000

What a bunch of idiots, someone should get fired for that. What decade are they in?

Or maybe they have parlayed this into global exposure and minimal expense, unless their legal fees are high.

But the global exposure is not that useful if their ideology appears to be backwards.