Spam Sites
Should you be concerned if the company you use to host your site also hosts spam sites? The short answer is: no. But, there are some exceptions to this rule. There are also a few things worth your consideration and concern.
Hosting Company Hosts Spam Sites: The Exceptions To The Rule
A few years ago, a very bad hosting company existed. This company was really just a front for a whole bunch of spam sites. Like, thousands of spam sites. Stuck in the middle of all those spam sites were two — yes, two — legitimate sites. As you might imagine, the owners of those two legit sites were surprised to find out that the host site was doused in spammy fraud.
When customers would visit those legitimate sites, a warning sign would pop up. “This Site May Harm Your Computer!” the warning signs stated. Why? The sites were begin traced back to that one spammy host. Eventually, the spam-generating host was shut down, and those two legit sites lots their hosting company.
But, this is really a rare case. Most of the time, you don't have to worry about what a sites are using the same host that you are.
Hosting Company Hosts Spam Sites: Why You Shouldn't Worry About Spammy Hosting Sites
Most hosting sites are home to thousands of websites. Typically, these sites tend to be a mix of bad and good. Some companies have a strict “anti-porn or anti-spam” rule. On the other hand, some larger sites will host whatever site brings in the dough. In a mix of thousands of sites, though, whether or not some of those sites are bad doesn't really matter.
Your site will be like a needle in the haystack, so you shouldn't have to worry too much. It's never a bad idea to check out your host site to see what other sites use the same host, but don't overly fret. What happens if your host is shut down for illegal activity? Do you have any recourse?
Hosting Company Hosts Spam Sites: When A Site Shuts Down
It happens. Sometimes, websites shut down (or are shut down). What can you do? You can hope that your site is backed up. Or, you can sit and wait for your host to go back online. If this never happens, getting the money that you might be owed can be tricky. A company can only make a payout if that company has funds.
If the hosting company you were dealing with goes bankrupt, there's not much that you can do. It could be a good lesson, though, to back up your site. You should have your site backed up no matter how solid your host seems to be. Things can always go wrong. As far as getting some money for your, now vanished, site goes? That's not going to be easy.
You might be able to deduct that lost revenue when it's tax season, though. But, I'm not an accountant or an Internet lawyer, so make sure to clear this with the appropriate authorities.
How do you avoid plagiarism on a site? A lot of my blog content seems to be popping up all over the Internet without my permission. How can I stop this? Any advice would be helpful!