Beware: WordPress.com targeting authors and reviewers

Hadn’t really thought about what would happen to all those people linking away form WordPress, but, apparently, there is stuff to worry about / think about.
Let me know what you think, eh?

YA Chit Chat

So, WordPress.com has targeted one of my favorite bloggers and book reviewers. I tried to access her blog two days ago to read about a book she reviewed and I got the following message:

[name of blog] .wordpress.com is no longer available.

This blog has been archived or suspended for a violation of our Terms of Service.
For more information and to contact us please read this support document.

Upon looking at WordPress.com’s Terms of Service, I noted they had highlighted one clause:

the Content is not spam, is not machine- or randomly-generated, and does not contain unethical or unwanted commercial content designed to drive traffic to third party sites or boost the search engine rankings of third party sites, or to further unlawful acts (such as phishing) or mislead recipients as to the source of the material (such as spoofing);

Why is this clause potentially problematic…

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About Ileandra Young

I'm a thirty-*mumbles* year old (purple loving, cheese worshipping) author of fantasy, juggling a pair of beautiful twin boys with my burning desire to make up stories and write them all down. When I get the chance, I play games, listen to music, and in days long past I even ran a radio show. Though I occasionally write non-fiction, my heart lives in fantasy and my debut novel, Silk Over Razor Blades is now available through Amazon along with part two of the trilogy, Walking The Razor's Edge.

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3 Responses to Beware: WordPress.com targeting authors and reviewers

jmmcdowell says:

October 16, 2014 at 01:44

Hmm, that is disconcerting. It would be helpful if WordPress would provide some examples of what we should avoid and what is acceptable. I mean, is it really okay for authors to provide links for sites that sell their own works such as Amazon or Barnes and Noble?

One reason I haven’t used the Getty Images features is because someday I hope to have a published work (or two or three…), and I want my WordPress blog to also be my website. But the Getty site indicates their photos can’t be used for commercial purposes. Well, if I’m someday offering links where my book(s) can be published, then that’s probably considered a commercial purpose. So I’m playing it safe and now using only my own images and graphics.

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- jmmcdowell says:
  
  October 16, 2014 at 01:45
  
  oops—where my book(s) can be purchased!
  
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- Ileandra Young says:
  
  October 16, 2014 at 08:38
  
  Ugh. Never thought of that. My images are open commons but I have buy links to Amazon on this site.
  *sigh*
  I do know that Paypal buttons are allowed so long as they point to work/products/services you have produced but lots of people don’t want to do that.
  
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