Is it possible to protect JSON-LD from mail processors?

Question

I want to use JSON-LD for SEO purposes, but I don’t know how to prevent automatic use of the email harvester from the address (s) from the source.

In the email scheme , you specify the email address. I always obfuscated email addresses in any way, using JS to display them or other methods. This has helped stop spam so far.

<script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Seattle", "addressRegion": "WA", "postalCode": "98052", "streetAddress": "20341 Whitworth Institute 405 N. Whitworth" }, "colleague": [ "http://www.xyz.edu/students/alicejones.html", "http://www.xyz.edu/students/bobsmith.html" ], "email": "mailto: [e-mail] ", "image": "janedoe.jpg", "jobTitle": "Professor", "name": "Jane Doe", "telephone": "[phone]", "url": "http://www.janedoe.com" } </script> 

The only way I could do this is to use JS to dynamically create the above, which I expect the harvesters will not be able to interpret for the most part, but then this will most likely break the search engine support. Is there any solution for this?

Answer 1

If you cannot detect a malicious bot (and give it a version without an email address), there is no reasonable solution. One of the main reasons for using structured data is to provide access to bots, so it’s by design.

You can try to make the email address more complex:

• The Schema.orgs email property expects text as a value, so you can use obfuscation (for example, jane-doe at {this domain} ).
  Hope: bots don't understand your default obfuscation method.

• If the use of the Schema.orgs email property is not required: the FOAFs mbox_sha1sum property expects the SHA1 hashed email address. Hopefully the bots are not trying (or haven’t done this) to find the appropriate email address.

• You can use JavaScript to add an email property ( Google supports it , for example).
  Hope: bots do not execute JavaScript.

But it also makes it harder for good bots, of course, and at some point you may not consider your email address at all.

If you want to specify an email address for specific consumers, you can serve these consumers with a document containing an email address and all other bots without it. But search bots may not like this method . And you are infringing on new consumers, or consumers you don’t know.

I would simply provide an email address that was not launched and for everyone, simplified the lives of visitors (people, as well as bots) . Spam should be your problem, not theirs; and his problem that can be dealt with.

Answer 2

JSON-LD makes data accessible to robots, including mail processors, which can easily fool the identity of other bots. I suggest leaving email addresses from JSON-LD, this will not hurt SEO, and the owners of these emails will love you for that. Otherwise, you will - because their mailboxes will be a constant target of spam