HubPages unmercifully decided to unfeature hundreds of former Squidoo Lenses-turned-Hubs on or around December 1st, 2014. While former Squidoo writers are wondering what happened, I drew on my social psychology classes and research into workplace bullying to provide you with some theories.
If I had to pick one article that I wanted every writer online to read, this is the one. We need to be able to retain our rights online, on any platform. Content site owners need to be held accountable to their terms of service/use and adhere to both federal and state laws.
My daughter wanted to know why HubPages is posting my photo and 293 articles of mine when I publicly protested the transfer of my work from Squidoo. She saw my August 31st video when I tried to delete my account or edit out all of my work when it was on Squidoo.
Sooner than I predicted, HubPages is tanking fast. Why? Because Google knows about the unacceptable and stolen Squidoo content (and profiles). So does the IC3. Seth Godin and Paul Edmondson thought no one would notice. How arrogant. However, a few women writers brilliantly dissected this "deal" and now the truth is being exposed.
I was shocked to find 10 emails from HubPages in my inbox on Saturday, September 13th, 2014. I refuse to open any of them. Apparently, HubPages has at least 100 of my articles posted publicly (with their ads) on their website. My content was moved to HubPages without my permission and now I am reporting HubPages to the IC3.
Finally, it looks like small to medium-sized websites and individuals working on their own sites and blogs will reap the benefits of the latest Panda, Penguin, and Pirate updates. If you have been producing unique, high quality content for the online masses, you will see more traffic.
I was stunned by Corey Brown's post yesterday that only addressed these two scenarios: until lenses are deleted or transferred. The problem is that no one can access their content right now to delete it or even edit it. You can't even delete your entire account.
In a last ditch effort to find out how many lensmasters on Squidoo are allowing their content to be part of a deal that Seth Godin made with Paul Edmondson, Corey Brown posted a reminder. When I read it, I couldn't believe how many times he made reference to the transfer.
In the most impromptu way, Seth Godin announced mid-August that HubPages would be "acquiring key content" from Squidoo. He forgot his own TOS though, that the content belongs to each individual writer (aka lensmaster). If he meant himself and other SquidTeam members, though, I guess he'd better start writing.
Squidoo's Seth Godin announced on Friday, August 15th, 2014 (around 5 pm ET), that HubPages has acquired Squidoo. Part of this transaction, apparently, is the "promise" of the "highest rated" and "most useful" content. This content does NOT belong to Squidoo, it belongs to the writers.