Update on the Google 404 Page Hijack

February 12th, 2008 • Related • Filed Under

Since I am getting quite some feedback on my posting about Google hijacking 404 error pages, here is a quick update. Some visitors pointed out that if a 404 error page is in place Google will not take over the 404 response. That is only partial true. On my example website I do have a custom 404 page in place and Google is still using its powers to overturn what I am presenting. My 404 page uses a meta refresh to send the visitors to the home page. I also verified this on another website and the same thing happened. Not sure what exactly triggers this, but I do find it intrusive if Google ignores my 404 error page - even if that is only a meta refresh to my home page.

Another concern of mine is on the privacy side of things. Google grabs the information from the URL and pre-populates the search field with that information. If the search is submitted that data makes it to Google. What if that URL contains sensitive data? Think Intranet in large corporations. The information is strictly for internal use, but not for the outside. This will force corporations to rethink if they want to allow the Google toolbar or not. Not sure if that is the intention on Google’s side?!

Overall I can see what Google is trying to do, but I think this is going beyond helping to make the web a better place. I mean where does it stop?

Matt Cutts pointed out that this was announced months ago at Google, but not everyone has the time to read every single Google announcement on their blogs. I have to say I missed it and it seems like many others did as well. Anyway - thanks for responding, Matt - I appreciate it that Google is not quietly sitting there just watching and ignoring webmaster concerns.

There Are 10 Responses So Far. »

  1. Pingback by How 404 pages work in Google Toolbar Beta 5 on 12 February 2008:

    [...] about how the newest version of the Toolbar handles 404 pages for users, because I see some people writing about it this [...]

  2. Pingback by How 404 pages work in Google Toolbar Beta 5 | Techitorial on 12 February 2008:

    [...] how the newest version of the Toolbar handles 404 pages for users, considering I see some public writing about it that [...]

  3. Comment by Vincent Clement on 12 February 2008:

    Your privacy concerns are a red herring.

    A user has to voluntarily click on the search button. Large corporations can control what software is installed and how that software interacts with the internet. URLs should not contain sensitive information in the first place - at the very least they should be encrypted.

    Your 404 page is less than 512 bytes. Make it larger than 512 bytes and all will be okay.

  4. Comment by KDye Vertical Leap on 13 February 2008:

    Hmm, maybe fourth time lucky (having trouble with the captcha not letting me post even though I’ve checked the numbers several times). There are two potential answers to each one as there are no brackets :-)

    It’s really funny how this has suddenly starting getting attention, maybe it’s because people are actually using it and seeing the results. I blogged it on the 3rd Jan which was a good while after the initial announcement. Still, well done for creating the buzz!!

  5. Pingback by Google Goes Evil!! « Jayant Kumar Gandhi on 13 February 2008:

    [...] Seoker, Codswallop and [...]

  6. Pingback by SitePoint Blogs » File Not Found? Google Knows Best on 13 February 2008:

    [...] and displaying their own page (with links and a Google search bar, of course) — is causing plenty of bloggers to cry [...]

  7. Pingback by Memex 1.1 » Blog Archive » Google hijacks Error 404 on 14 February 2008:

    [...] of its browser toolbar designed to hijack 404 error pages. It was spotted by a blog known as Seoker.com. As Google put it, when you use its new toolbar, “You’ll get suggestions instead of error [...]

  8. Pingback by Klaut die neue Google-Bar Besucher? | ceterum censeo ... on 15 February 2008:

    [...] aus der Kritik ist Google aber noch nicht. Wie beispielsweise Soeker.com in dem Beitrag “Update on the Google 404 Page Hijack” beschreibt, gibt es durchaus Fälle, in denen sich das Problem nicht so elegant mit dem [...]

  9. Pingback by How 404 pages work in Google Toolbar Beta 5 on 28 February 2008:

    [...] about how the newest version of the Toolbar handles 404 pages for users, because I see some people writing about it this morning. We tried to give a heads-up in a couple places. The Toolbar beta 5 [...]

  10. Pingback by SEM Consultant » Blog Archive » How 404 pages work in Google Toolbar Beta 5 on 29 February 2008:

    [...] about how the newest version of the Toolbar handles 404 pages for users, because I see some people writing about it this [...]

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