Tell HN: Google drops blogspot.in, breaking hundreds of thousands of permalinks

Article summary

Google has dropped the blogspot.in domain, breaking hundreds of thousands of permalinks. The domain was previously used to redirect users in India to country-specific Blogspot URLs. The domain's expiration has caused issues for users who shared links using the country-specific URL. The new owner of the domain is not affiliated with Google.

Main themes

• domain expiration
• broken links
• country-specific domains
• blogging platforms
• content hosting
• trust and longevity

What commenters say

• The sudden drop of the blogspot.in domain has caused a significant number of broken links and bookmarks.
• Google's decision to use country-specific domains was problematic and prone to issues like this.
• The use of local domains can improve search engine rankings, but it also creates complications for users.
• Some users are concerned about the potential for phishing scams with the new owner of the domain.
• A blogging app that allows users to host their own content could be a solution to avoid similar issues in the future.
• However, creating such an app raises concerns about trust and longevity, as users would need to rely on the app's developer to maintain and update the service.
• One potential solution is to design the app to be transparent and easy to export content, allowing users to switch to another platform if needed.
• The issue highlights the importance of considering the potential consequences of using third-party services for hosting and sharing content.