Is Google Under Attack? It Looks Like It.
Feb. 6, 2008
Yesterday, I was blocked repeatedly in my searches. I was told that someone was using search terms like the ones I was using. This is nuts. I searched for "Caleb North." I searched for Protestant church government.
I was able to access pages 1-6. Then on page 7, I got this:
We're sorry...
... but your query looks similar to automated requests from a computer virus or spyware application. To protect our users, we can't process your request right now.
We'll restore your access as quickly as possible, so try again soon. In the meantime, if you suspect that your computer or network has been infected, you might want to run a virus checker or spyware remover to make sure that your systems are free of viruses and other spurious software.
If you're continually receiving this error, you may be able to resolve the problem by deleting your Google cookie and revisiting Google. For browser-specific instructions, please consult your browser's online support center.
We apologize for the inconvenience, and hope we'll see you again on Google.
To continue searching, please type the characters you see below:
Google had one of those boxes with letters in it. I had to type these letters into an entry box. The letters were not clear. They were weird -- almost unreadable. They were all bent and squished together. They looked like cutesy cursive in a 13-year-old girl's diary.
Hours later, I still got the warning message. Click it. See what happens.
If this is what it takes for Google to protect itself, Google is in trouble.