off the beaten track - googleable?

[systemsaddict]

Hi I've been on a thread in OTBT which we have discovered is quite easily googleable - could you clarify what is the protection for OTBT threads please? thanks!

[Tech]

Hi, the problem is that that particular thread was started in Employment Issues and google indexed it. Now it's in OTBT but still in the google index.

Next time round, google should see just "you need to log in to see this thread" as the thread text, and it should disappear from the index. For now, anyone clicking the link who is not a mumsnet member will see that message. Unfortunately, the google cache currently does have some of the thread real text in it. That should disappear in the next couple of days.

I've asked the editorial team not to move threads into OTBT in future. We should rather start new threads there.

The regular protection for OTBT threads is that you have to be logged in to see them. Additionally, they carry an instruction not to index them, and their URLs are in a restricted list which google inspects every time it crawls the site and doesn't try to index that topic.

This one's having been indexed is a result of it having had a previous existence in another topic.

[Tech]

For now, anyone clicking the link who is not a mumsnet member will see that message.

To clarify, if someone does happen upon the thread by searching google before the thread is removed, and that person clicks the link, they should see just "You need to log in to see this thread."

[WilfShelf]

Ah OK. I posted the new thread in Emp issues first, before I had found the Off the Beaten Track topic.

Next time round (in 30 days I guess?) we just need to be more circumspect and only start in OTBT...

[systemsaddict]

thanks for the info tech

[whomovedmychocolate]

What happens with links from OTBT to FB/Twitter etc. I know Google follows the DNF rules but I hear FB is less circumspect.

[Tech]

Hi, I believe the only way FB or twitter would see an OTBT link is if someone on the thread posted a link on one of them. Even if someone did that though, nobody who is not logged into Mumsnet would be able to see the text of the thread.