Warning. GoingUp! plugin adds hidden links

  • Enabling the GoingUp! plugin adds a hidden link without permission, that is positioned beyond the screen “position: absolute; top: -8000px“.. incredibly so one of them is a keyword link to “forex trading”.

    <div style="position: absolute; top: -8000px;" ><a href="https://www.goingup.com" title="Visitor Tracking">Visitor Tracking</a><a href="https://www.forex.sc" title="forex trading">forex trading</a></div></div>

    I believe this is a violation of terms. Plugin reported.

    The plugin must not embed external links on the public site (like a “powered by” link) without explicitly asking the user’s permission. Any such options in the plugin must default to NOT show the link.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Plugin Author goingup

    (@goingup)

    We fully disclose that the free version is paid for by sponsors, in the form of back-links. If you don’t want the back-links don’t use the free version, easily avoidable. However, our other 125,000 users are quite happy to exchange a clean link to a sponsor in exchange for the dozens of free tools GoingUp! gives them in return.

    Your explicit consent is obtained at signup, as well as when activating the plugin.

    Please carefully read the disclosures in the future.

    Thread Starter dpxzg

    (@dpxzg)

    “obtained at signup” and just then your signup page goes offline ??

    Sorry, we’re doing some maintenance right now, please try again later or refresh page

    Also I cannot see any mention of external links “when activating the plugin”.

    It even seems the goingup-web-analytics.php has well hidden such code and there is even no mention in readme.txt, plugin description or the plugins home page.

    Also I would doubt that such -8000px; hidden link trinks would work on Google. In fact your www. forex.sc is on page two for the keyword forex trading. Besides this could theoretically even hurt your websites rankings because of placing obviously user hidden links that are not even niche related.

    As for “don’t use the free version” you have no mention anywhere about a payed version of your WordPress plugin.

    Plugin Author goingup

    (@goingup)

    You’ve done what makes you happy and satisfies your issues; you’ve stopped using the plugin and posted your opinion.

    As for your other assertions, they are just false.

    While the plugin may not be for everyone, you included, over 100,000 other people are quiet happy with it, the benefits and features it offers, and happily use it. Those that don’t like it, don’t have to use it, can easily remove it and move on. No harm, no foul. Internet freedom at it’s finest.

    Plugin Author goingup

    (@goingup)

    Just an update:
    GoingUp now has no backlinks at all, paid or otherwise.

    We also just added support tickets and are in the process of adding a mailing list widget, so we continue to put out new things.

    If you’ve not had a look at us lately, please come and check us out again!

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
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