Google gets stung for swiping content thanks to embedded morse code

theinquirer.net ^ | 17 June 2019 | Chris Merriman

[BenLurkin]

Genius.com, a site specialising in providing song lyrics, had suspected that Google had been scraping its site and using the lyrics to populate the 'information panels' often seen in the side of search results.

This isn't that uncommon, but usually Google credits the source; in this case, Genius was getting no credit.

Sure enough, Google pulled the lyric through and repeated the message, without ever knowing that's what it had done. But Genius wasn't going to take that lying down. The company wanted to prove that Google was indeed sourcing uncredited, and set about proving it by matching high tech with low tech.

By changing the punctuation is certain lyrics, swapping out straight and rounded quotes and commas, the firm was able to encode a morse code message to Google.

And the message was "R E D H A N D E D".

Sure enough, Google pulled the lyric through and repeated the message, without ever knowing that's what it had done.

[facedown]

Hoist on their own petard.

[dragnet2]

—. -— -— —. .-.. . / —. . - ... / -.- -— .——. -.. / -... -.— / — -— .-. ... . / -.-. -— -.. .

[yesthatjallen]

‘Don’t be evil’

[ptsal]

How crafty
Thanks 73s

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks BenLurkin.

[Fhios]

I believe list “compilation” is protected, not as the owner of the data but the actual compilation.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Hoist on their own petard.

"Hoist with their own petard, a petard being a device akin to a grenade.

[A strike]

Morse isn’t difficult. Printed it can be confusing, but again, not difficult for anyone willing to waste the time.

[spokeshave]

very few of us sonar types do Morse. I think I was the only one my Division that was fluent enough to get by . Real slow though. Slower still now.

Get your speed up with

Best bent wire.

[I want the USA back]

So, the America-hating instrument of thought-control and digital fascism is stealing copyrighted material! When does the lawsuit begin?

[rjsimmon]

We Naval Aviators are taught Morse Code as that is what the TACAN transmits to identify itself. All ICAO identifiers in the US are transmitted in Morse as well.