A Google blogger warning!

Good Day Folks:

If you'e watched the 60 Minutes video below you'll notice there's discussion of warnings Google is now sending. Here's one we received the other day while Googling for a particular piece on Barack Obama:

http://cybersmokeblog.blogspot.com - ACTION REQUIRED
Sent: Thu 3/26/2009 1:06 PM
To: pieuk@shaw.ca

Hello,

Your blog at http://cybersmokeblog.blogspot.com/ has been identified as a potential spam blog. To correct this, please request a review by filling out the form at http://www.blogger.com/unlock-blog.g?lockedBlogID=23477238.

Your blog will be deleted in 20 days if it isn't reviewed, and your readers will see a warning page during this time. After we receive your request, we'll review your blog and unlock it within two business days. Once we have reviewed and determined your blog is not spam, the blog will be unlocked and the message in your Blogger dashboard will no longer be displayed. If this blog doesn't belong to you, you don't have to do anything, and any other blogs you may have won't be affected.

We find spam by using an automated classifier. Automatic spam detection is inherently fuzzy, and occasionally a blog like yours is flagged incorrectly. We sincerely apologize for this error.

By using this kind of system, however, we can dedicate more storage, bandwidth, and engineering resources to bloggers like you instead of to spammers. For more information, please see Blogger Help: http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=42577

Thank you for your understanding and for your help with our spam-fighting efforts.

Sincerely,
The Blogger Team

P.S. Just one more reminder: Unless you request a review, your blog will be deleted in 20 days. Click this link to request the review: http://www.blogger.com/unlock-blog.g?lockedBlogID=23477238

Next we noticed the Blogger Dashboard where the username and password must be entered before being able to post to your site bore the message:

This blog has been locked due to possible Terms of Service violations. You may not publish new posts until your plog is reviewed and unlocked. This Blog will be deleted within 20 days unless you request a review. Request Unlock Review

We asked for a review and within an hour our system had been restored. You are unable to reply directly to Google's original e-mail but if you carefully watch their message line you'll notice You replied on 3/26/2009 2:11 PM will appear in blue.

You can still post while Google is checking your blog except there's an added step. You'll have to type in the jumbled letters used on many sites to discourage spamming. And no we're not spammers - first time anything like this has happened.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk