Matt Cutts really knows how to stir controversy. In a recent post titled, “How to report paid links“, Cutts lays out the simple process on how to bring paid links to the attention of the Google team.

Sign in to Google’s webmaster console and use the authenticated spam report form, then include the word “paidlink” (all one word) in the text area of the spam report. If you use the authenticated form, you’ll need to sign in with a Google Account, but your report will carry more weight.

I can see it now…

ANYTHING Google brings forward can and will spawn a new industry of money hungry web junkies looking for the quick buck. If Google thinks it isn’t stepping into a pile of stinking you know what with this move, I would have to question whether or not they actually learn from past experiences.

I understand the underlying intent of Matt Cutts with wanting to cut down on paid text links, but at this point there are MANY flaws in this way of doing it.

From Search Engine Journal:

Google seems to be going after a monopoly on advertising, telling webmasters what they can or cannot have on their sites. Does anyone else now think it’s a conflict of interest that search engine as powerful as Google is monopolizing advertising?

Cutts and Google apologists deny this in many places around the web. But one can’t deny it as a possibility. Someone above Cutts has to be sitting at his desk, cracking his fingers and thinking “this will do wonders for Adwords and Adsense.” We all know it’s the way Google operates.

From Jonon:

To put it mildly, web masters are confused and frightened by the new actions by Google. In many cases, Google controls as much as 95% of the traffic coming to web sites. Sweeping changes like these can destroy web-based businesses unable to decipher the new rules or get into compliance fast enough (if that is even possible). The danger may be greatest for business owners, however, who know even less about the technical details of web sites. Previously accepted practices like linking to other websites are now high-risk, as Google threatens to devalue sites that link out under sponsored arrangements like discounts, membership or even professional courtesy.

Google is FANTASTIC at making fair playing webmasters “dance” around like chickens with their heads cut off. And with many of us it isn’t because we’re trying to cheat the system. No, it’s because we’re afraid of being pushed out of the system for one reason or another.

And should we even mention yet again the industry this will create for companies who can afford to pay people to report competitors? I mean, if a company can afford $10,000 a month for paid advertising, why then could it not shell out a few more G’s to hire people to seek out paid text link advertisers who work in the same niche?

Plus, how the hell is Google going to decide what links are paid and those that are earned? Or what about “in kind” links?

Right now there is just WAY too much gray area in this mess. Matt Cutts, whom I actually enjoy reading, should have given this a lot more thought before going public with it. The blanketed “come and report em” approach is going to open up a very nasty can of rotted worms.

Thoughts?