Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random business using it on Maps

Re:Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random busin... by cyberpanther on Saturday June 20, 2020 @08:33AM (#23583595)

Here's a hack. Use the referral header or url tracking parameters to redirect the URL to some place seedy or maybe their competitor. I'm sure they'll change it quick after that.

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Re:Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random busin... by tisryno on Saturday June 20, 2020 @09:21AM (#23583784)

Since OP thinks it could be a scammer doing it, perhaps just check the referral header and display a big banner stating that listing on Maps is not you and to not contact them and list real services/competitors?

Will stop people from contacting them in favour of real businesses if that's the case.

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Re:Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random busin... by hubert1234 on Saturday June 20, 2020 @09:34AM (#23583840)

I agree that this is better, it punishes Google's reputation as well.

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Re:Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random busin... by mabbo on Saturday June 20, 2020 @09:02AM (#23583701)

This is beautifully malicious.

It's 100% within his rights as the website owner, and it will highly encourage those who can change this to do so.

I love it.

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Re:Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random busin... by diegoperini on Saturday June 20, 2020 @04:15PM (#23586872)

Eye for an eye is a bad advice when there are more peaceful, not yet tried alternatives. It's not like they are pointed a gun and the only escape is shooting back.

I respect the opinion though, so not down-voting you.

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Re:Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random busin... by Avamander on Saturday June 20, 2020 @06:05PM (#23587757)

No. Google is not someone that can be peacefully dealt with. They figuratively don't have ears for that.

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Re:Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random busin... by bhartzer on Saturday June 20, 2020 @11:00AM (#23584311)

Nice idea but it won’t work. Traffic from google maps shows up as direct traffic with no referrer.

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Re:Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random busin... by sp332 on Saturday June 20, 2020 @10:51AM (#23584250)

  <script>
    window.history.back();
  </script>

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Re:Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random busin... by RomanPushkin on Saturday June 20, 2020 @02:49PM (#23585872)

The name of http header is "Referer", you can't rely on that though. I'm wondering if Google allows that at all in 2020.

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Re:Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random busin... by loco5niner on Monday June 22, 2020 @11:18AM (#23601162)

> redirect the URL to some place seedy

Preferably one that won't hurt a young kid that accidentally clicks on it I presume?

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Re:Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random busin... by Aspos on Saturday June 20, 2020 @10:08AM (#23584015)

> redirect the URL to some place seedy

That business can potentially claim damages.

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Re:Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random busin... by pbhjpbhj on Saturday June 20, 2020 @10:31AM (#23584148)

They can claim them but I very much doubt they'd win in court - "we're infringing someone's Trademark and impersonating them on Google and they redirected traffic on their own website and that redirection is harming our ability to fraudulently profit from their trademark" ... kinda like suing someone you murdered because they made your knife messy.

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Re:Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random busin... by dylan604 on Saturday June 20, 2020 @11:35AM (#23584503)

The OP would still suffer expenses defending the messy knife claim in court. If the bad actor has deeper pockets, this would be just one more way for the bad guy to continue being a bad actor

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Re:Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random busin... by milankragujevic on Saturday June 20, 2020 @10:23AM (#23584112)

No they can't. I mean they can, but you can literally sue anyone for anything. Doesn't mean you're right or entitled to compensation of any kind, especially in this case. In fact, the owner of the website (OP) can sue the listing "owner" and Google and probably get something, but it's not proportional to the effort and wasted time + money.

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Re:Ask HN: Google won't remove my site URL from random busin... by Cpoll on Saturday June 20, 2020 @06:12PM (#23587808)

I'm concerned that this is being downvoted, and that people in this thread are giving legal advice without any caveat or mention of country, state, etc.

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