In the past two years I've had one instance where someone from the
"outside" made a comment about one of my questions or answers.  In the
last two days, I've had at least a dozen of these unsolicited
comments...Why all of a sudden are people choosing my questions, some
as old as two years, to make a comment about.....I just got another
ten minutes ago....What is gong on?

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Clarification of Question by 211563-ga on 10 Mar 2005 20:20 PST

surely, i wasn't the first person that made a comment to google about
this situation....was I?

Hi. I have a good guess for you. Google Answers was just mentioned in
an online newsletter from sitepro.com. The site recommended that
people use Google Answers to get their links included in the Google
Answers pages. This apparently helps the links get boosted in Google's
organic results.

It's likely that Google will catch on soon and change the criteria.

Its all SPAM...

More about this "new trend":

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=489765

Tell me, are you really offended if someone leaves a comment on one of
your old questions?  Is it just me or does anyone else find this
notion slightly bizarre?  If however you are receiving spam, then this
is a different matter.

BB

Yes, this has really started snowballing.  I have given up on advising Google.
Suggested that maybe they could send a message to all users,
reiterating their principles.

What I don't understand is that, anyone can post any website aadress
making the site look like a spammer...
In my eyes, this is very difficult to control.
thenunz

A good solution would be to disallow url posts unless the user has
commented on 50 posts.


The sites can still be blacklisted. Many webmaster use their own email address.

If google is losing revenues, it might just go all out and ban without
checking. It's pretty obvious who is endorcing what, and I know people
wouldn't waste time endorsing a competitor when they don't think it's
likely they'll get banned.