January 31, 2012
Country-Specific Blogger URLs
Google found an interesting trick to defend Blogger blogs against local laws: redirect readers to country-specific domains and only remove those URLs if required.
"Over the coming weeks you might notice that the URL of a blog you're reading has been redirected to a country-code top level domain, or 'ccTLD.' For example, if you're in Australia and viewing [blogname].blogspot.com, you might be redirected [blogname].blogspot.com.au. A ccTLD, when it appears, corresponds with the country of the reader's current location," explains Google.
"Migrating to localized domains will allow us to continue promoting free expression and responsible publishing while providing greater flexibility in complying with valid removal requests pursuant to local law. By utilizing ccTLDs, content removals can be managed on a per country basis, which will limit their impact to the smallest number of readers. Content removed due to a specific country's law will only be removed from the relevant ccTLD." That means [blogname].blogspot.com will continue to exist, but it's not clear if the users from that specific country will still be able to access it.
Blogger will start to use country-specific domains, just like many other Google services. If you're in Australia and visit google.com, you'll be redirected to google.com.au, but you can opt-out by clicking "Go to Google.com" or visiting google.com/ncr. The same option is available for Blogger: "Blog readers may request a specific country version of the blogspot content by entering a specially formatted NCR URL. NCR stands for 'No Country Redirect' and will always display [blogname].blogger.com in English, whether you're in India, Brazil, Honduras, Germany, or anywhere. For example: http://[blogname].blogspot.com/ncr – always goes to the U.S. English blog."
Google doesn't mention the list of countries that are affected by this change, but Techdows.com reports that India is one of them. Obviously, blog owners can use custom domains if they don't like the new feature. Even if Google made sure that the duplicate URLs are properly handled by search engines, it could be annoying to see so many URLs that send people to the same page.
{ Thanks, Venkat and Herin. }
"Over the coming weeks you might notice that the URL of a blog you're reading has been redirected to a country-code top level domain, or 'ccTLD.' For example, if you're in Australia and viewing [blogname].blogspot.com, you might be redirected [blogname].blogspot.com.au. A ccTLD, when it appears, corresponds with the country of the reader's current location," explains Google.
"Migrating to localized domains will allow us to continue promoting free expression and responsible publishing while providing greater flexibility in complying with valid removal requests pursuant to local law. By utilizing ccTLDs, content removals can be managed on a per country basis, which will limit their impact to the smallest number of readers. Content removed due to a specific country's law will only be removed from the relevant ccTLD." That means [blogname].blogspot.com will continue to exist, but it's not clear if the users from that specific country will still be able to access it.
Blogger will start to use country-specific domains, just like many other Google services. If you're in Australia and visit google.com, you'll be redirected to google.com.au, but you can opt-out by clicking "Go to Google.com" or visiting google.com/ncr. The same option is available for Blogger: "Blog readers may request a specific country version of the blogspot content by entering a specially formatted NCR URL. NCR stands for 'No Country Redirect' and will always display [blogname].blogger.com in English, whether you're in India, Brazil, Honduras, Germany, or anywhere. For example: http://[blogname].blogspot.com/ncr – always goes to the U.S. English blog."
Google doesn't mention the list of countries that are affected by this change, but Techdows.com reports that India is one of them. Obviously, blog owners can use custom domains if they don't like the new feature. Even if Google made sure that the duplicate URLs are properly handled by search engines, it could be annoying to see so many URLs that send people to the same page.
{ Thanks, Venkat and Herin. }
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24 comments:
the linked article is totally bullshit:
Reply Delete"You wouldn’t be surprised in future if you visit Blogspot.com other than in US country "
Original news breaker is Amit Agrawal, the well known Indian Blogger, http://www.labnol.org/india/blogspot-blogs-in-india/20765/
Reply DeleteAnother problem is, for example, counting of shares on social networks.
Reply DeleteIf the .com is blocked at the DNS level, how can I get redirected to the .au. No .com => no redirection to the .com.au.
Reply Deleteif i am running blogger as domian then ???
Reply Deletewell if the reader is form local ip then ????
Reply Deletehmmm.. hope that india's blog will so glorius..
Reply DeleteHow can Google do this without informing any bloggers or prior notice?
Reply DeleteIf I access a blog with both URLs, say [blogname].blogspot.com and [blogname].blogspot.com.au, can this be used to determine what content is being censored?
Reply DeleteI assume it can, but I haven't tried it.
Yes it is the main reason why this mechanism is implemented.
DeleteGermany, too. See blogspot.de, registered thru "Google's" mark monitor service. Many more countries will follow.
Reply DeleteIt is questionable as to whether this country specific redirect does promote free speech. It opens the doors to selective weeding out of "illegal", then "offensive" material. It is a disturbing trend.
Reply DeleteThis has started today in Spain as well.
Reply DeleteIs a PITA, really.
Official answer: https://support.google.com/blogger/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2402711
wordpress is far more better than blogspot
Reply Delete@Shirish you are right buddy Amit Agarwal is the best blogger in India
Reply DeleteIt is very serious issue for us. Country specific url is very confusing.
Reply Deletei am running blogger domain and its not showing in different countries ????
Reply DeleteOh I'm also running up few blogs but I didn't notice any changes as described in this article. Are these changes compulsory?
Reply DeleteI'm wondering if it will cast a good or bad impact on the SEO campaigns of Blogspot blogs. Can anyone please throw light on it?
Reply DeleteI don't think it would have a major impact on your SEO. There is not much of a talk on that subject. But it does seems to be a valid issue.
Deleteit would create a lot of confusion and thats the reason i migrated from bloggers to wordpress, its a lot better plateform for blogging
Reply Deletecan we do same with adsense URL ???
Reply DeleteMuch gratitude to all of you that much for such better than average and incredible article on this at this time.Really your article is having particularly useful data which can help other individuals somehow. Regards Sniper Fury APK
Reply Deletehow are we suppose to have a look at other peoles blogs if we don't know there urls?
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