The 404 Media Podcast
Google, Reddit, and the Robots.txt Rebellion
Jul 31, 2024
Sam, a journalist known for her tech controversies coverage, and Joseph, an internet culture enthusiast, dive into some hot topics. They discuss the uprising against AI scraping, spotlighting how websites are using robots.txt to fight back. Sam unveils her scoop on Runway's unauthorized video scraping from YouTube creators, raising eyebrows about copyright issues. Plus, they explore how Reddit’s exclusive deal with Google shapes search visibility, leaving other search engines in the dust. Lastly, the crew fills Joseph in on the bizarre world of Skibidi.
46:05
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Quick takeaways
- Website owners are increasingly updating their robots.txt files to block unauthorized AI scrapers, highlighting growing concerns over intellectual property protection.
- Google's exclusive permission to scrape Reddit's content raises questions about internet accessibility and the competitive landscape of search engines.
Deep dives
The Growing Backlash Against AI Scraping
A recent study highlights a measurable backlash from website owners against AI scraping technologies. The Data Provenance Initiative analyzed over 14,000 websites and found that around 5% had updated their robots.txt files to block AI scrapers, a notable increase from zero just a year prior. Among the most actively maintained websites, the blocking rate reached 28%, indicating significant concern over the unauthorized use of their content. This trend suggests that website owners are becoming increasingly proactive in safeguarding their intellectual property from AI companies that scrape their data.
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