Deoptimisation?

Simple question is it possible to hurt someone elses serps? I've heard bold statements by unethical people that they can hurt peoples google positions.

Fact or fiction?

 

It can be done.

 

How can they do it? And how can we combat it?

 

I'm under the impression that you could possibly hurt someone elses page by:
...directing a load of links to their page to get it "Sandboxed."
...using "Duplicate Content" to get it filtered out of the SERPs.

 

hi i was googling deoptimisation as someone was asking me if its legal in my country as he was hired to do so..

can someone comment on this very old thread on whether it's really possibe?

 

Currently, the danger is only for new sites, old established sites are not under any attack, since Google filters out such nasty fluctuations for old sites very well.
New site can be damaged by (a) placing its copied content on many other sites or (b) by pointing lots of low-quality backlinks.

 

Agree with you, SEOmoz recently published an article about the same topic http://www.seomoz.org/blog/what-if-my-competitors-point-spammy-links-to-my-site

You point b could be correct, but I do not agree on your point a, as if a new website do publish a content and some one copies the content and publish it on his own website then certainly he is having the duplicate content and so the penalty would be given to his website. Original website would not face any charge.

 

I just think your time could be spent getting quality backlinks for your own site. Im pretty sure that, even if you can sabotage a site now, Google will do something about it pretty soon.

 

manish, I meant copying content to multiple and multiple websites.
And unfortunately, for new sites, Google defines the content owner not in the advantage of new sites at all. Proven many times with my new sites.

 

"getting quality backlinks" - mantra for all newly registered here nowadays.

 

but also if you have troubles with indexing someone who does not like you can steal your content. Let's say, check for your non-indexed pages and publish somewhere else where they will indexed before than on your website.

Also, like other said, newly made websites can be sabotaged but you should ask yourself "Who will bother and waste time on new websites?"