eWeek reports that Google is clamping down on what people can input into Google Base and adding a reporting feature so people can report content that is inappropriate.
Sometime last week, search giant Google Inc. did something that seems rather innocuous to Google Base, its free feature for searching classified ads, event notices and other content contributed by Google's registered users.
But like just about anything Google does, simple upgrades seem to have profound impacts and contain big hints of Google's next big thing.
The Mountain View, Calif., Internet giant recently unveiled a Google Base self-reporting feature for bad sites, one that mimics those used by Craigslist and other pioneering online searchable references that are based entirely on contributions from the public at-large.
It also added a new step in the Google Base process. When clicking on a Google Base search result, users now travel to a Web site under Google's control, which has a version of the listing Google generated. Users have the option of clicking on a link to visit the listing's originating site.
Having an open classified system is impossible on the Internet. It will eventually be filled with adult content and spam unless there is some kind of control and review function provided by Google. If the public isn't willing to help Google edit and review its Google Base listings than Google may have to hire additional staff to help keep Google Base listings relevant. Google has also added a bulk upload tool which should make it easier for users submitting lots of items.
