# How does google get around site restrictions?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-google-get-around-site-restrictions/227077
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 1, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-google-get-around-site-restrictions/227077 "2004-02-01T19:53:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Optihut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Optihut)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-google-get-around-site-restrictions/227077/1 "2004-02-01T19:53:20Z")
Howdy,
recently G. Fraizer, one of Blizzard ([www.blizzard.com](http://www.blizzard.com)) Entertainment’s employees (or maybe even former employees), decided to disallow people with IP addresses from Europe to access his personal website [www.expectnothing.com](http://www.expectnothing.com)
However, when you type in “expectnothing” and “Fraizer” on google, it will yield search results from the site with the typical 2 line choice quote. Now, since google’s server probably isn’t in Europe, this doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Still, there are other websites, which are impossible to access without a username and password and still google reveals results with quotations.
Now, my questions are: How is this possible? Is there any way for me to repeat that effect (Before you ask: Yes, I am nosey)?
---
### Author:  [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2004, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-google-get-around-site-restrictions/227077/2 "2004-02-02T04:26:53Z")
Part of it is sites where articles expire. Google will pick it up when it’s new and free and create it’s abstract and a link, but when you try to follow that link at a later time, it prompts you for a username and password, because now you’re accessing the archives. I see this with results that link to Variety regularly.
Another possibility is when sites have partnership agreements. For instance, they will show you the article only if you’re coming from a link on a particular site (by checking the referer). Google follows the links properly and so can access the article. But when you just click on the link directly, it disallows you access.
---
### Author:  [@Ice97531](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice97531)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-google-get-around-site-restrictions/227077/3 "2004-02-02T04:35:39Z")
I get it with google sometimes where i see something in the description i like so i click on it
When I get to the page I do a find for it and its not there
Same item at work here I guess
---
### Author:  [@Bob55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob55)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2004, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-google-get-around-site-restrictions/227077/4 "2004-02-02T06:48:44Z")
Sometimes I think they intentionally let Google search their site to encourage people to buy the subscription to read whatever article they’re searching for. Of course Google Cached is sometimes a way around that.
---
### Author:  [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2004, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-google-get-around-site-restrictions/227077/5 "2004-02-03T13:27:35Z")
> [@Bob55](#):
>
> Sometimes I think they intentionally let Google search their site to encourage people to buy the subscription to read whatever article they’re searching for. Of course Google Cached is sometimes a way around that.
Sometimes. I asked a [related question](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=139978) a while back.