I did a backlink check on my site today on both Yahoo and Google and found a bunch of "casino" websites that have my link on their sites. A while back I received a request from them (these types of sites) to which I always reply that we Do NOT exchange links with adult content sites - but they went ahead and put my links there. I believe these links have affected my ranking as they are so far removed from my content - home decor. For those few sites that even had a contact I emailed the webmaster and requested my link be removed. Many sites didn't have a contact number or email and doing a DNS check resulted in the emails being blocked. What can I do to stop this from happening in the future and are there any recourses I can take against those adult sites and unrelated sites when they link to me without permission?

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Pick My Gift.Com - Gifts of Distinction for You and Your Home! http://www.pickmygift.com

Nothing you can do except ask them and they are under no obligation to take the links down.

Why do you want them removed? They are not doing any harm.

CBP

If you've not reciprocated the links, the likelyhood that they have somehow hurt your rankings is remote. I wouldn't worry about them much at all.

I have had (and continue to have) gaming sites linking to me and requesting links. I can't see where they have or will have any affect on my rankings. I cannot control who links to me but I can control to whom I link.

Dave

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Religious-Jewelry Blog - Deep Link Directory - Religious Jewelry

It will not hurt you. For the principle that if links to your site hurt you, your competitors will have a lot of links to your site.

I hate to sound political, but I'm going to agree and disagree (somewhat) with the Mod on this issue.

First, I concur that there's nothing, per se, that you can do about who links to you.

Second, Google readily tells you as a webmaster, that only YOU can affect your site's ranking. Hence, I hypothesize that they realize this is not under your control, hence, not a factor.

Taken from Google Webmaster Facts: There is almost nothing a competitor can do to harm your ranking or have your site removed from our index. Your rank and your inclusion are dependent on factors under your control as a webmaster, including content choices and site design.

However, I would argue that if your link ends up on site's subversive to your brand or message, that it could be damaging from an advertising / PR point of view. Furthermore, Google also readily admits

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W. R. Mineo

I have to give a political yes and no, respectfully, to cbp and others on this issue.

Yes, you cannot control who links to you, per se, hence, I don't believe you'll be penalized for that link. However, you could find your brand, image or message damaged, IMO, by prospects seeing a link in engines from site that's not in keeping with your own standards, ethics, etc. In that, you could send a tactfully stern request to them for removal.

Google Webmaster Facts state you cannot be harmed by a competitor and I'd guess they're cognizant and compassionate that you're not in control of others' actions. Only YOU can affect your ranking according to them.

However, Google also states that they are not happy with FFAs and similar linking schemes ... not all lists require confirmation or authorization, so it seems possible that an undesireable link could influence according to their own standards ... gotta love that Google gobbledygook ...

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W. R. Mineo