Using Squidoo In Your Web 2.0 Approach?

Dear Squidoo lensmaster,

You’re getting this special Newsflash update because you’re a Squidoo lensmaster and
because we’re making some significant Terms of Service and policy changes. So we
wanted to send you a very early heads up about it.

The most important thing to know is this: 99% of you probably won’t ever even notice
these policy changes! If you’re busy creating authentic, useful, unique lenses,
you’re fine.

The next thing to know is: Take a deep breath. We won’t begin **implementing these
new policies until mid-July 2009**, which means you’ve got more than a month to
review and adjust to the changes.

We hope you’ll take a little time to read them so that you can keep using and
thriving on Squidoo.

IF YOU’D RATHER NOT READ THIS EMAIL…

If you’d rather not read the rest of this email, here’s [one big overview page for
you](http://www.squidoo.com/squidoo-policy-update). It’s a supplement to our Squidoo
Terms of Service. Or, read on for a quick summary.

1. NO SPAM. THIS ONE’S NOT NEW, BUT IT’S WORTH SAYING AGAIN.

It’s simple: given our pedigree, our point of view and our dyed-in-the-wool,
we-will-never-change-our-mind conviction on this issue, spam is not okay at Squidoo.
For a few years now we have had a very strict and enforced [stance against
spam](http://www.squidoo.com/squidoo-policy-update#module33118382). That’s staying
the same, and if anything, getting even more rigorous. If you actively spam people
with your Squidoo lenses (by email, in blog comments, by stalking and harassing
people on Twitter, by tricking people with the content in your lenses, and more)
we’ll lock your entire account.

2. NO MORE X-RATED OR PORN LENSES

If you came to Squidoo to create X-rated or pornographic content, the time has come
to say farewell. We’re not discontinuing these lenses because we’ve suddenly grown
shy, or because we no longer believe in the freedom to publish what you want. We do.
Practically though, supporting X-rated pages no longer makes sense, and it invites
more spam and empty traffic and wasted overhead than anything. [Find out more about
why we're making this very hard
decision](http://www.squidoo.com/squidoo-policy-update#module37645602), and what it
means for your X-rated lenses. (Don’t panic! You can export your content and take
it with you).

3. NO JUNK TOPICS FROM OUR “SQUIDDON’T” LIST

Lenses on free movie downloads. Toenail fungus cures. LoseBellyFatNow promotions.
Reverse Phone Lookup 4U. You know junk when you see it. [And lots more
examples](http://www.squidoo.com/squidoo-policy-update#module37736042).

Unforunately, topics like these are overwhelmingly conditioned and proven to attract
spammers. If a topic has displayed enough trickery and spam and bad activity, we
choose not to support it. If we find a lens on a SquidDon’t topic or something very
similar to it, we’ll lock it. For good. Our best recommendation: Don’t bother with
topics like these. There’s plenty of incredible stuff to write about and recommend
online without having to go near the edges of what we’re got going here.

4. A NEW LIMIT ON OVERLY PROMOTIONAL LENSES

Making a lens to promote or recommend something is a terrific endeavor. It’s a big
part of why a lot of our people are here. But: Less is more! Sales lenses far too
often turn into junk lenses, as described by the relentless number of outbound links
to the same exact domain. Being overly promotional rarely works. “Buy here buy here
buy here!” never does.

So to help you focus your lenses, and sell even better–and to help surfers find our
pages more useful overall–we’re introducing a limit to the number of _outbound
links to the same domain_ that you can have on a lens. If you have more than 9 links
to the SAME domain on a single lens, your lens will get locked for review. Of
course we’ll have domains that are whitelisted out of this (meaning, you can have as
many outbound links to them as you like), as well as sites that are blacklisted
(meaning, even a single link to that domain will get your lens locked).

[Please read all the important details on how this
works](http://www.squidoo.com/squidoo-policy-update#module39736822).

WHAT NOW? FIRST, TAKE A DEEP BREATH.

**We won’t be flipping the switch on these new policies until July 20, 2009 or
later.** So you’ve got more than a month to review your lenses to make sure they’re
playing by the rules.

In the meantime, here are [4 things you can do to get ready for these
changes](http://www.squidoo.com/squidoo-policy-update#module37726512).

THANKS, GUYS.

Thanks for reading this far. And thanks for caring about the quality, community and
infinite possibility that is Squidoo.

Live long and prosper.

–The SquidTeam
Squidoo.com

**P.S.** Every Squidoo lensmaster is getting a note just like this. We rarely send
huge updates like this because we know you’re busy. If you’d rather not get email
from us ever again, you can login and delete your Squidoo account under ‘[Account
Status](http://www.squidoo.com/member/profile )’. No hard feelings. No tears. Well,
maybe a little.

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