Re: Suggested amendment to <a> tag

Although there isn't a specific "disagree" annotation, there's
rel="nofollow" http://www.whatwg.org/specs/web-apps/current-work/multipage/links.html#link-type-nofollow

This is already supported by search engines.

On 5 February 2013 01:30, Richard Ferrers <richard.ferrers@ands.org.au> wrote:
> Dear html5spec team
>
> Problem: Google uses the <a> tag as a vote on the usefulness of the resource
> linked to.
> Not all links may be of the same or even positive value to the page creator.
>
> For instance:
> The <a href="http://www.ands.org.au">ANDS website</a> is an appalling
> example of web design.
>
> Google would register this link as data indicating the positive useful value
> of the target resource of the link. Yet the text around the link may suggest
> a negative value connection with the resource linked.
>
> Solution: I suggest a new attribute for the <a> tag to indicate whether you
> agree or disagree with the resource linked to.
> For example:
> The <a href="http://www.ands.org.au" agree=false>ANDS website</a> is an
> appalling example of web design.
>
> Google could see this 'agree' element and take it into account when ranking
> the page.
> Multiple inclusion of the link could indicate degree of
> negativity/positivity.
> Default: agree=true.
> Style: an alternate style could separate the status of the agree flag.
>
> For more detail a tag/s could be added to indicate the nature of the
> agreement/disagreement in the above examples eg tag=design.
>
> For your consideration.
> Richard
>
> --
> Richard Ferrers
> Research Data Analyst | Client Liaison Officer
>
> Australian National Data Service (ANDS)
> Physical Address: Level 6, Building F, Monash Caulfield VIC 3145 AUSTRALIA
> Postal Address: c/o Monash University, PO Box 197, Caulfield East, VIC 3145
> AUSTRALIA
> T: +61 3 990 20569
> F: +61 3 990 20585
> M: 0422 368 061
> E: richard.ferrers@ands.org.au

Received on Tuesday, 5 February 2013 14:11:43 UTC