In fight with content farms, round one to Google
When Google hit out at the content farms earlier this year with a change to its ranking algorithm, it was the opening blow in what looked like being a long fight.
Demand Media admitted late on Sunday that the change hurt traffic at its biggest site, eHow. But it brushed off the damage (and a 10 per cent hit to its share price) by affirming its financial guidance and saying that it had redoubled its efforts to attract eyeballs – including from Facebook. Read more
Demand Media’s IPO catches fire
Yes, Demand Media’s IPO looks frothy. But there’s a reason for all the attention: purpose-built business models for creating online content are few and far between, and this just might be one that has a future. Read more
Security pressure growing on website registrars
Security firm KnujOn (backwards for No Junk, reflecting the small outfit’s anti-spam roots) has a new report out this morning, pointing a finger at website registrars for facilitating a wide range of internet crime.
My story in today’s FT centres on the case KnujOn makes against eNom, the No. 2 seller of domain names and a profitable unit of Demand Media, which would probably prefer that any stink wait until after its anticipated IPO.
But the bigger picture is more important. Read more
| About this blog | Blog guide |
Richard Waters has headed the FT's San Francisco bureau since 2002 and covers Google and Microsoft, among other things. A former New York bureau chief for the FT, he is intrigued by Silicon Valley's unique financial and business culture, and is looking forward to covering his second Tech Bust.
Chris Nuttall has been online and messing around with computers for more than 20 years and since 2004 has reported from the FT's San Francisco bureau on semiconductors, video games, consumer electronics and all things interwebby.
Maija Palmer has been writing about technology for the FT since 1999 and is fascinated by cybercrime, privacy and all the other issues of the information society. Based in London, she covers European tech companies and hopes that they won't all get acquired by American rivals.
Robin Kwong is the FT's technology, media and telecoms page editor in London. Formerly he was the Taipei correspondent and wrote about the companies that manufacture the vast majority of the world's computers and gadgets. He is interested in the intricacies of the technology supply chain and how China is increasingly changing the tech landscape.
Tim Bradshaw is the FT's digital media correspondent, and has just moved from London to join our team in San Francisco. He has covered start-ups such as Twitter and Spotify, as well as the online ambitions of more established media companies, such as the BBC iPlayer. He also covers the advertising, marketing and video-game industries. Tim has been writing about technology, business and finance since 2003.
