So here's the story. I once had two WordPress blogs on WordPress.com,
no biggie just your average blogs. One of them I branded with my name
and the other home business. I chose a nice three-column template for
both blogs and proceeded to set them up.
WordPress allows you to put RSS feeds right there in the columns of
your blogs, as I had two columns in addition to the main column. I had
2 feeds on each blog, one for each column. The feeds were my
blogfather home business feed, my del.icio.us feed, tomorrow's home
business Google Groups feed and the feed from the other WordPress blog
(now deactivated). I had about 15 blogroll links (give and take) to
other blogs and about 5 regular links to my businesses, which range
from Network Marketing, Affiliate Marketing and Gifts Items- (physical
products).
The contents of my blogs were: for my namesake blog - anything, and
for the home business blog - home business. There were about 12 post
in one and about 22 posts in the other.
Now here's where it gets sticky. The content of the blogs, themselves
did not break their TOS but the references to and links to a Network
Marketing opportunity did? Imagine my surprise when they took down the
blogs for breach of TOS. By their own TOS it says:
"By linking to a non-WordPress website or webpage, Automattic does not
represent or imply that it endorses such website or webpage. You are
responsible for taking precautions as necessary to protect yourself
and your computer systems from viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and
other harmful or destructive content. Automattic disclaims any
responsibility for any harm resulting from your use of non-WordPress
websites and webpages."
Doesn't this statement in effect acknowleges that they know that there
will be links out to third party sites? And might I add that their TOS
"types of blogs" DOES NOT have network marketing in the list of off
limits blogs?
If WordPress had said to me, we are terminating your blog because we
can, and we do not have to provide you with an explanation either -
this I would understand because that is actually in their TOS!
To conclude this rant of WordPress Is Looking Out For You! I will
include my correspondences to WordPress.com on this matter.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anthony - WordPress.com"
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 10:10 AM
Subject: [WordPress #CDZ-266431]: 495@homebusiness4me.wordpress.com
Hi,
Your blog was made inactive because it broke the Terms of Service.
One or more of the following apply:
http://wordpress.com/types-of-blogs/
And here are some examples of blogs that are banned from WordPress.com
(all of these fall under the general heading of "spam blogs??, or
splogs, and we will be deleted as soon as we find them or they get
reported):
* Scraper blogs: Blogs that take content from other blogs and re-
publish it without permission (this is sometimes called scraping). If
a blog contains all or mostly stolen and unoriginal content, it's
gone!
* SEO blogs: Blogs that are written for search engines instead of
humans. These blogs are dedicated to trying to fool Google and other
search engines into ranking them highly. WordPress.com is not meant
for this type of activity.
* Affiliate marketing blogs: Blogs with the primary purpose of driving
traffic to affiliate programs and get-rich-quick schemes (??Make six
figures from home!!??, "20 easy steps to top profits!!??, etc).
* Warez blogs: Blogs that promote pirated copies of ebooks, software
packages, music, movies, games, etc.
* Automated blogs: Blogs that are generated by computers, including
randomly generated blogs, blogs that re-publish press releases,
marketing material, search engine results, link dumps or any other
mass-produced content.
http://wordpress.com/tos/
# the Content is not spam, and does not contain unethical or unwanted
commercial content designed to drive traffic to third party sites or
boost the search engine rankings of third party sites
The blog is open to you so you can export the content. It appears
inactive to all other users.
If you wish to continue with how you are blogging we suggest exporting
your content and setting up a blog elsewhere. Suitable hosts can be
found here: http://wordpress.org/hosting
Best,
Anthony
Automattic | WordPress.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tania Chin"
To: tosreports@wordpress.com
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 12:06 PM
Subject: Re: [WordPress #CDZ-266431]:
495@homebusiness4me.wordpress.com
I am sorry,
There are 22 posts in that blog and most of the content was written by
me. The posts that were not written by me is about 5% and are by
people I know and who knows me and credit was given so again I have
read what you have said below but I do not see where any of it applies
to me.
If you could point to something specific, I may understand the reasons
behind your decisions. It is not my intention to break your TOS and I
would like the opportunity to correct any mistakes I have made and
have my blog re-activated.
Thanks
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anthony - WordPress.com"
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 4:03 PM
Subject: [WordPress #CDZ-266431]: 495@homebusiness4me.wordpress.com
Hi,
We do not permit WordPress.com to be used for the promotion or
advertising of any Network Marketing, MLM, work-at-home, or any
similar programs.
Best,
Anthony
Automattic | WordPress.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tania Chin"
To: tosreports@wordpress.com
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 4:31 PM
Subject: Re: [WordPress #CDZ-266431]:
495@homebusiness4me.wordpress.com
Ok, now we are getting somewhere.
Your TOS does not mention Network Marketing, MLM, work-at-home, or any
similar programs, what is does say is:
"Affiliate marketing blogs: Blogs with the primary purpose of driving
traffic to affiliate programs and get-rich-quick schemes ("Make six
figures from home!!", "20 easy steps to top profits!!", etc). To be
clear, examples like people writing original book or movie reviews and
linking them to Amazon, or people linking to their own products on
Etsy do NOT fall into this category."
I do not believe any of my content makes any claims nor is it
advocating any get rich quick schemes (actually the opposite) but I
understand your position because the content that was not mine I left
the authors links in place to give them credit for their work. I can
remove those and continue.
It is not/was not my intention to break your TOS and since I
understand clearly now the rules, if I clean up the links and content,
can I be allowed to continue with this blog?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anthony - WordPress.com"
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 4:42 PM
Subject: [WordPress #CDZ-266431]: 495@homebusiness4me.wordpress.com
Hi,
Sure - you can now clean up your blog accordingly.
Best,
Anthony
Automattic | WordPress.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark - WordPress.com"
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 5:14 AM
Subject: [WordPress #IJE-633690]: 493@homebusiness4me.wordpress.com
Hi,
Your blog was made inactive because it broke the Terms of Service.
It was part of an elaborate MLM setup here and all blogs are now
inactive. They will not be returned.
> http://wordpress.com/types-of-blogs/
And here are some examples of blogs that are banned from WordPress.com
(all of these fall under the general heading of "spam blogs??, or
splogs, and we will be deleted as soon as we find them or they get
reported):
* Affiliate marketing blogs: Blogs with the primary purpose of driving
traffic to affiliate programs and get-rich-quick schemes (??Make six
figures from home!!??, "20 easy steps to top profits!!??, etc).
http://wordpress.com/tos/
# the Content is not spam, and does not contain unethical or unwanted
commercial content designed to drive traffic to third party sites or
boost the search engine rankings of third party sites
The blog is open to you so you can export the content. It appears
inactive to all other users.
If you wish to continue with how you are blogging we suggest exporting
your content and setting up a blog elsewhere. Suitable hosts can be
found here: http://wordpress.org/hosting
Mark
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tania Chin"
To: tosreports@wordpress.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 9:53 AM
Subject: Re: [WordPress #IJE-633690]:
493@homebusiness4me.wordpress.com
Mark,
I had correspondence with Anthony yesterday regarding these issues,
Please see [WordPress #CDZ-266431]: I was not aware that WP had a
problem with Network Marketing blogs and have since then removed all
links to a network marketing opportunity. The blogs are now purely
content discussing MLM, Network marking, Home Business and work from
home issues. That is not allowed either? So why do you allow tags for
them that can be searched for on WP? Did anyone actually spend the
time to read the post? I said when I filled out the contact form...I
was not able to delete the blogroll and links because they were not
enabled to do so.
My blogs were NOT:
"And here are some examples of blogs that are banned from
WordPress.com (all of these fall under the general heading of "spam
blogs??, or splogs, and we will be deleted as soon as we find them or
they get reported):
* Affiliate marketing blogs: Blogs with the primary purpose of driving
traffic to affiliate programs and get-rich-quick schemes (??Make six
figures from home!!??, "20 easy steps to top profits!!??, etc). "
I see assumptions being made here that are just not true. Do you know
of any spammer that spends the time to brand themselves on the
Internet as a small business owner? You do not know spammers because
their business is disposable, you shut them down and they come right
back. You certainly do not prevent anyone from doing it all over
again. I will NOT be starting over by the way, it is just not worth
the aggravation.
I get it that WP does not want, Affiliate marketing blogs and network
marketing blogs...I GET IT! Affiliate marketing and network marketing
is not in itself bad, it is how it is promoted and some of the types
of programs that mask themselves within these niches.
Here is another one for you - the so called "safe industries" that you
allow people to blog about according to your TOS is the same
industries responsible for America's housing crisis right now. The
real estate brokers and mortgage brokers and the subprime lenders.
I will leave you at this - I feel that it is extremely unfair to be
told that I would be given a chance to get the links out of the blog
that it is claimed to be breaking the TOS, then turn around and not
give me the means to do so and take the blogs down anyway because I
happen to be talking on topics that the people at WP deems to be
breaking the rules. Believe it or not...I am on your side... I hate
the claims being made about working from home and people need to be
educated but they are not because the crap is somehow being passed
over and the good guy gets caught.
Who am I kidding here...isn't that how society is anyway. If you can't
play the game, get out or be run over.
Sorry for taking up your time with useless information.
To Mark and all my friends at WordPress.com, whatever promotions I
did, was for a Network Marketing Opportunity, and NOT a MLM, if anyone
of you had spent the time to read a couple of the post, you would have
picked up that little detail.
And to all the readers of this post, remember that when you see a
wordpress.com blog that is breaking this mysterious TOS, remember to
report them to WordPress because they DON'T keep their word and
WordPress.com - Is Looking Out For You!
Tania Chin, SOHO Business Owner
http://contactus.tomorrowshomebusiness.com
no biggie just your average blogs. One of them I branded with my name
and the other home business. I chose a nice three-column template for
both blogs and proceeded to set them up.
WordPress allows you to put RSS feeds right there in the columns of
your blogs, as I had two columns in addition to the main column. I had
2 feeds on each blog, one for each column. The feeds were my
blogfather home business feed, my del.icio.us feed, tomorrow's home
business Google Groups feed and the feed from the other WordPress blog
(now deactivated). I had about 15 blogroll links (give and take) to
other blogs and about 5 regular links to my businesses, which range
from Network Marketing, Affiliate Marketing and Gifts Items- (physical
products).
The contents of my blogs were: for my namesake blog - anything, and
for the home business blog - home business. There were about 12 post
in one and about 22 posts in the other.
Now here's where it gets sticky. The content of the blogs, themselves
did not break their TOS but the references to and links to a Network
Marketing opportunity did? Imagine my surprise when they took down the
blogs for breach of TOS. By their own TOS it says:
"By linking to a non-WordPress website or webpage, Automattic does not
represent or imply that it endorses such website or webpage. You are
responsible for taking precautions as necessary to protect yourself
and your computer systems from viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and
other harmful or destructive content. Automattic disclaims any
responsibility for any harm resulting from your use of non-WordPress
websites and webpages."
Doesn't this statement in effect acknowleges that they know that there
will be links out to third party sites? And might I add that their TOS
"types of blogs" DOES NOT have network marketing in the list of off
limits blogs?
If WordPress had said to me, we are terminating your blog because we
can, and we do not have to provide you with an explanation either -
this I would understand because that is actually in their TOS!
To conclude this rant of WordPress Is Looking Out For You! I will
include my correspondences to WordPress.com on this matter.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anthony - WordPress.com"
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 10:10 AM
Subject: [WordPress #CDZ-266431]: 495@homebusiness4me.wordpress.com
Hi,
Your blog was made inactive because it broke the Terms of Service.
One or more of the following apply:
http://wordpress.com/types-of-blogs/
And here are some examples of blogs that are banned from WordPress.com
(all of these fall under the general heading of "spam blogs??, or
splogs, and we will be deleted as soon as we find them or they get
reported):
* Scraper blogs: Blogs that take content from other blogs and re-
publish it without permission (this is sometimes called scraping). If
a blog contains all or mostly stolen and unoriginal content, it's
gone!
* SEO blogs: Blogs that are written for search engines instead of
humans. These blogs are dedicated to trying to fool Google and other
search engines into ranking them highly. WordPress.com is not meant
for this type of activity.
* Affiliate marketing blogs: Blogs with the primary purpose of driving
traffic to affiliate programs and get-rich-quick schemes (??Make six
figures from home!!??, "20 easy steps to top profits!!??, etc).
* Warez blogs: Blogs that promote pirated copies of ebooks, software
packages, music, movies, games, etc.
* Automated blogs: Blogs that are generated by computers, including
randomly generated blogs, blogs that re-publish press releases,
marketing material, search engine results, link dumps or any other
mass-produced content.
http://wordpress.com/tos/
# the Content is not spam, and does not contain unethical or unwanted
commercial content designed to drive traffic to third party sites or
boost the search engine rankings of third party sites
The blog is open to you so you can export the content. It appears
inactive to all other users.
If you wish to continue with how you are blogging we suggest exporting
your content and setting up a blog elsewhere. Suitable hosts can be
found here: http://wordpress.org/hosting
Best,
Anthony
Automattic | WordPress.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tania Chin"
To: tosreports@wordpress.com
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 12:06 PM
Subject: Re: [WordPress #CDZ-266431]:
495@homebusiness4me.wordpress.com
I am sorry,
There are 22 posts in that blog and most of the content was written by
me. The posts that were not written by me is about 5% and are by
people I know and who knows me and credit was given so again I have
read what you have said below but I do not see where any of it applies
to me.
If you could point to something specific, I may understand the reasons
behind your decisions. It is not my intention to break your TOS and I
would like the opportunity to correct any mistakes I have made and
have my blog re-activated.
Thanks
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anthony - WordPress.com"
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 4:03 PM
Subject: [WordPress #CDZ-266431]: 495@homebusiness4me.wordpress.com
Hi,
We do not permit WordPress.com to be used for the promotion or
advertising of any Network Marketing, MLM, work-at-home, or any
similar programs.
Best,
Anthony
Automattic | WordPress.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tania Chin"
To: tosreports@wordpress.com
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 4:31 PM
Subject: Re: [WordPress #CDZ-266431]:
495@homebusiness4me.wordpress.com
Ok, now we are getting somewhere.
Your TOS does not mention Network Marketing, MLM, work-at-home, or any
similar programs, what is does say is:
"Affiliate marketing blogs: Blogs with the primary purpose of driving
traffic to affiliate programs and get-rich-quick schemes ("Make six
figures from home!!", "20 easy steps to top profits!!", etc). To be
clear, examples like people writing original book or movie reviews and
linking them to Amazon, or people linking to their own products on
Etsy do NOT fall into this category."
I do not believe any of my content makes any claims nor is it
advocating any get rich quick schemes (actually the opposite) but I
understand your position because the content that was not mine I left
the authors links in place to give them credit for their work. I can
remove those and continue.
It is not/was not my intention to break your TOS and since I
understand clearly now the rules, if I clean up the links and content,
can I be allowed to continue with this blog?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anthony - WordPress.com"
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 4:42 PM
Subject: [WordPress #CDZ-266431]: 495@homebusiness4me.wordpress.com
Hi,
Sure - you can now clean up your blog accordingly.
Best,
Anthony
Automattic | WordPress.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark - WordPress.com"
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 5:14 AM
Subject: [WordPress #IJE-633690]: 493@homebusiness4me.wordpress.com
Hi,
Your blog was made inactive because it broke the Terms of Service.
It was part of an elaborate MLM setup here and all blogs are now
inactive. They will not be returned.
> http://wordpress.com/types-of-blogs/
And here are some examples of blogs that are banned from WordPress.com
(all of these fall under the general heading of "spam blogs??, or
splogs, and we will be deleted as soon as we find them or they get
reported):
* Affiliate marketing blogs: Blogs with the primary purpose of driving
traffic to affiliate programs and get-rich-quick schemes (??Make six
figures from home!!??, "20 easy steps to top profits!!??, etc).
http://wordpress.com/tos/
# the Content is not spam, and does not contain unethical or unwanted
commercial content designed to drive traffic to third party sites or
boost the search engine rankings of third party sites
The blog is open to you so you can export the content. It appears
inactive to all other users.
If you wish to continue with how you are blogging we suggest exporting
your content and setting up a blog elsewhere. Suitable hosts can be
found here: http://wordpress.org/hosting
Mark
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tania Chin"
To: tosreports@wordpress.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 9:53 AM
Subject: Re: [WordPress #IJE-633690]:
493@homebusiness4me.wordpress.com
Mark,
I had correspondence with Anthony yesterday regarding these issues,
Please see [WordPress #CDZ-266431]: I was not aware that WP had a
problem with Network Marketing blogs and have since then removed all
links to a network marketing opportunity. The blogs are now purely
content discussing MLM, Network marking, Home Business and work from
home issues. That is not allowed either? So why do you allow tags for
them that can be searched for on WP? Did anyone actually spend the
time to read the post? I said when I filled out the contact form...I
was not able to delete the blogroll and links because they were not
enabled to do so.
My blogs were NOT:
"And here are some examples of blogs that are banned from
WordPress.com (all of these fall under the general heading of "spam
blogs??, or splogs, and we will be deleted as soon as we find them or
they get reported):
* Affiliate marketing blogs: Blogs with the primary purpose of driving
traffic to affiliate programs and get-rich-quick schemes (??Make six
figures from home!!??, "20 easy steps to top profits!!??, etc). "
I see assumptions being made here that are just not true. Do you know
of any spammer that spends the time to brand themselves on the
Internet as a small business owner? You do not know spammers because
their business is disposable, you shut them down and they come right
back. You certainly do not prevent anyone from doing it all over
again. I will NOT be starting over by the way, it is just not worth
the aggravation.
I get it that WP does not want, Affiliate marketing blogs and network
marketing blogs...I GET IT! Affiliate marketing and network marketing
is not in itself bad, it is how it is promoted and some of the types
of programs that mask themselves within these niches.
Here is another one for you - the so called "safe industries" that you
allow people to blog about according to your TOS is the same
industries responsible for America's housing crisis right now. The
real estate brokers and mortgage brokers and the subprime lenders.
I will leave you at this - I feel that it is extremely unfair to be
told that I would be given a chance to get the links out of the blog
that it is claimed to be breaking the TOS, then turn around and not
give me the means to do so and take the blogs down anyway because I
happen to be talking on topics that the people at WP deems to be
breaking the rules. Believe it or not...I am on your side... I hate
the claims being made about working from home and people need to be
educated but they are not because the crap is somehow being passed
over and the good guy gets caught.
Who am I kidding here...isn't that how society is anyway. If you can't
play the game, get out or be run over.
Sorry for taking up your time with useless information.
To Mark and all my friends at WordPress.com, whatever promotions I
did, was for a Network Marketing Opportunity, and NOT a MLM, if anyone
of you had spent the time to read a couple of the post, you would have
picked up that little detail.
And to all the readers of this post, remember that when you see a
wordpress.com blog that is breaking this mysterious TOS, remember to
report them to WordPress because they DON'T keep their word and
WordPress.com - Is Looking Out For You!
Tania Chin, SOHO Business Owner
http://contactus.tomorrowshomebusiness.com
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