Is Faking Your Referrer Kosher? - Small-Business-Forum.net

the goat · 09-10-2008, 11:06 AM

I heard about this plugin for firefox called RefControl that allows you to customize your referral URL so that every website you visit thinks you came from your own.

I guess there is a school of thought that claims this is a good thing and will lead to traffic and some back links. I am curious of what other peoples thoughts are on this, would there be any possible repercussions?

RefControl - Firefox Extension

Steve B · 09-10-2008, 12:31 PM

It doesn't sound Kosher to me. But, I don't really understand what it is you're doing.

KristineS · 09-10-2008, 02:49 PM

It sounds to me like this would really screw with site stats. If you're tracking where people come from for advertising purposes, you could end up putting your money in the wrong place.

the goat · 09-10-2008, 04:07 PM

One of the reasons people do it is so that when webmasters are checking their stats they see it and wonder how you got referred from your site to theirs. They end up clicking on the link and that is a source of traffic.

Apparently some large companies also end up publishing their traffic sources and this can lead to back links for you.

You are leaving your site as a referrer everywhere you go that has tracking.

Quote:

It sounds to me like this would really screw with site stats

I see what you mean, it would frustrate me if I kept seeing a certain referrer to one of my sites but was unable to find the link. This is why it seems a little shady to me.

cbscreative · 09-10-2008, 05:07 PM

It sounds like yet another strategy to cheat, and I think the return would be minimal. I'm a firm believer in the reap what you sow principle. If you sow good, you get good in return, and if you sow bad, well, you know. To me, it's just another form of dishonesty. However trivial, lying is still lying, and although you can be sure someone will rationalize it, I'd call it unethical. If I'm a prude, that's OK, because I am a blessed prude.

the goat · 09-10-2008, 07:11 PM

I really don't see any huge advantage to it either, but I don't know that I would go so far as calling it unethical or lying. What is the difference between doing that and using a proxy?

I probably won't do it just because I can't see it actually getting traffic, or maybe it not being kosher in the eyes of google somehow. I really don't think it is a question of ethics though.

Then again I am certainly not a blessed anything.

cbscreative · 09-11-2008, 01:13 AM

I realize there are shades of gray in many things, but faking your referrer for the purpose of deceiving web stats does equal lying in my view. Maybe it's a white lie, but still a lie. Unethical is for you to judge, but in my experience, bending ethics just a little is a prelude to bending them more. Eventually, ethics become difficult to define. There's that little voice inside all of us that provides a certain amount of instinct. As soon as we rationalize it, the voice gets softer, and can be eventually squelched. That's why children are often better at determining ethics than adults are because we over complicate things. That's what I have to offer on the subject anyway.

the goat · 09-11-2008, 01:35 AM

I guess I just don't agree that lying to a website is the same as lying to a person, nor that ethics come into play with inanimate objects. We can agree to disagree though, I totally respect your view.

eborg9 · 09-11-2008, 02:29 AM

I just don't trust the site that has the information. It looks like a black hat trick, and there would be no support if something really screwed up.
Appearances may be deceiving, but it does not look reputable.

billbenson · 09-11-2008, 02:46 AM

The only reason I can see to do this is if you as the web surfer are doing something illegal. As mentioned same thing as using a proxy. If you are illegally downloading music or on gambling site (which is illegal for US citizens, even if you live in Vegas), you may want to hide your IP. Your IP is almost certainly dynamic anyway, so it changes periodically. You keep the web site from collecting your dynamic IP for their stats. So what?

I suppose a legitimate use as well could be if you want to appear you are somewhere else. Use a Dallas IP for a dating site so the ad pops up and says "find girls in Dallas" instead of where you actually are. Its pretty hard to come up with a legitimate reason to use this though.

09-10-2008, 11:06 AM	#1 (permalink)
the goat Member Needs New Keyboard Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Beantown Posts: 104 Reputation: 10	Is Faking Your Referrer Kosher? I heard about this plugin for firefox called RefControl that allows you to customize your referral URL so that every website you visit thinks you came from your own. I guess there is a school of thought that claims this is a good thing and will lead to traffic and some back links. I am curious of what other peoples thoughts are on this, would there be any possible repercussions? RefControl - Firefox Extension

09-10-2008, 12:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
Steve B Member Needs New Keyboard Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Louisville Kentucky Posts: 272 Reputation: 19	It doesn't sound Kosher to me. But, I don't really understand what it is you're doing. __________________ Steve B Derby's Pet Fence (a dba of Derby's Enterprises LLC) www.DerbysFence.com

09-10-2008, 02:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
KristineS Queen of the Forum Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Traverse City, MI Posts: 1,291 Reputation: 22	It sounds to me like this would really screw with site stats. If you're tracking where people come from for advertising purposes, you could end up putting your money in the wrong place. __________________ Settling for More\| When I'm Thin\|A Frugal Housewife\| Outoor Bloggers Summit Blog\|Hunt Smart, Think Safety Blog

09-10-2008, 05:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
cbscreative Wields great power here Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: At the computer Posts: 912 Reputation: 30	It sounds like yet another strategy to cheat, and I think the return would be minimal. I'm a firm believer in the reap what you sow principle. If you sow good, you get good in return, and if you sow bad, well, you know. To me, it's just another form of dishonesty. However trivial, lying is still lying, and although you can be sure someone will rationalize it, I'd call it unethical. If I'm a prude, that's OK, because I am a blessed prude. __________________ Steve Chittenden Graphic design, web design, professional writing, and marketing. "Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." -- Theodore Roosevelt

09-11-2008, 01:13 AM	#7 (permalink)
cbscreative Wields great power here Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: At the computer Posts: 912 Reputation: 30	I realize there are shades of gray in many things, but faking your referrer for the purpose of deceiving web stats does equal lying in my view. Maybe it's a white lie, but still a lie. Unethical is for you to judge, but in my experience, bending ethics just a little is a prelude to bending them more. Eventually, ethics become difficult to define. There's that little voice inside all of us that provides a certain amount of instinct. As soon as we rationalize it, the voice gets softer, and can be eventually squelched. That's why children are often better at determining ethics than adults are because we over complicate things. That's what I have to offer on the subject anyway. __________________ Steve Chittenden Graphic design, web design, professional writing, and marketing. "Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." -- Theodore Roosevelt

09-10-2008, 07:11 PM	#6 (permalink)
the goat Member Needs New Keyboard Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Beantown Posts: 104 Reputation: 10	I really don't see any huge advantage to it either, but I don't know that I would go so far as calling it unethical or lying. What is the difference between doing that and using a proxy? I probably won't do it just because I can't see it actually getting traffic, or maybe it not being kosher in the eyes of google somehow. I really don't think it is a question of ethics though. Then again I am certainly not a blessed anything.

09-11-2008, 01:35 AM	#8 (permalink)
the goat Member Needs New Keyboard Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Beantown Posts: 104 Reputation: 10	I guess I just don't agree that lying to a website is the same as lying to a person, nor that ethics come into play with inanimate objects. We can agree to disagree though, I totally respect your view.

09-11-2008, 02:29 AM	#9 (permalink)
eborg9 Member Needs New Keyboard Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 126 Reputation: 18	I just don't trust the site that has the information. It looks like a black hat trick, and there would be no support if something really screwed up. Appearances may be deceiving, but it does not look reputable. __________________ 4th Internet Media Group

09-11-2008, 02:46 AM	#10 (permalink)
billbenson Member Needs New Keyboard Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 520 Reputation: 15	The only reason I can see to do this is if you as the web surfer are doing something illegal. As mentioned same thing as using a proxy. If you are illegally downloading music or on gambling site (which is illegal for US citizens, even if you live in Vegas), you may want to hide your IP. Your IP is almost certainly dynamic anyway, so it changes periodically. You keep the web site from collecting your dynamic IP for their stats. So what? I suppose a legitimate use as well could be if you want to appear you are somewhere else. Use a Dallas IP for a dating site so the ad pops up and says "find girls in Dallas" instead of where you actually are. Its pretty hard to come up with a legitimate reason to use this though.