So Google is inviting people to report paid links, and a lot of folks are up in arms over it. Naturally, there’s much speculation as to why this has come about. Tony Hung wonders if Google doesn’t yet have an algorithm that can find paid links. Scoble wonders if this a statement to companies like PayPerPost, that make it difficult for an algorithm to identify whether a link is financially motivated.

I’m not too into this move because it essentially introduces a human factor into the famed Google algorithm. You simply can’t scale humans looking at every link and determining if it was paid or not, especially when some of the sites are intentionally not disclosing financial relationships and keeping them hidden. Therefore, I think Google should continue trying to figure out a computer method for locating paid links and keep the notoriously biased and fickle human race out of it.

Lastly, when you get people reporting stuff in a realm that is financially motivated, you’re going to get a lot of exaggeration and dishonesty, even to the point where I could see some reporting sites just because they don’t like said sites or hate ads.

Still, from the reader’s perspective, I believe paid links should be fully disclosed. I appreciate when sites disclose whether something is a paid advertisement. I’d go so far as to suggest even paid links should have a disclaimer, like “sponsor” in small text. I see it all the time in print magazines.

Lastly, I guess part of my nonchalance about this subject is I’ve never accepted or paid for a link in regards to any of my sites. I display Google Ads, Amazon, and the occasional iTunes link, and that’s it. And here’s a word from our sponsor:

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