Safe Browsing Adaptations

Browsing online can be a danger many don’t expect– however, there are several ever-evolving methods of dealing with these dangers. Since 2005, Safe Browsing has been in place to help protect users from these dangerous websites, especially ones that continue to harm users. Safe Browsing is a tool that collects lists of sites containing malware, phishing content, or other harmful aspects. Any sites considered harmful in accordance with Google’s policies may be flagged by Safe Browsing to display warnings to visitors, either automatically or by request of the webmaster. However, there are loopholes in getting rid of these warnings.

One loophole that was a common issue was that as sites were given warnings by Google, some would stop their dangerous activities just long enough to get into their good graces and proceed to again harm users. This recent loophole has since lead Google to alter how they deal with sites that have earned their warnings.

Once a site has repeatedly been flagged for harmful behavior, Google will now deem and categorize them as “Repeat Offenders.” This category of sites switch between following the guidelines and breaking them intermittently. Repeat Offenders, once labeled, face 30 days of punishment. The webmaster will be emailed, and will be unable to request a review and removal of the danger warnings until their 30 days are up.

Google continues to update their policies as well as their reactions to harmful behavior, as online threats themselves continue to evolve. With the goal of providing an umbrella of protection for users, Safe Browsing continues to grow and develop, even now, over a decade since its release. For more useful internet browsing information, or to learn more, contact i3 today.