'Content Farms,' Information Literacy, and You

摘要

I first heard the term "link farm" a few years ago. But I've looked through articles and blog posts that date the initial use of the term to about 1999, when "search engine optimization" was becoming an actual profession. (Of course, it's much cooler to self-identify as a "social media expert" these days than as a "search optimization expert," which means you should avoid "following" any self-described "social media gurus" on Twitter.)rnAt any rate, a link farm is basically just a webpage that is full of links to other websites. Sometimes these things comprise entire networks of sites connected by a mass of interlinks, designed to elevaternsearch engine rankings. In other cases, it's just a page full of commercial links that someone hopes you will click on so it will generate referral revenue. This is often associated with "typosquatting," relying on internet usersrnending up in one of these dead ends via an accidental URL typo.