{"id":1085,"date":"2006-03-28T14:25:15","date_gmt":"2006-03-28T08:55:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/when-official-google-blogger-blog-got-deleted-by-mistake\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T11:07:49","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T05:37:49","slug":"when-official-google-blogger-blog-got-deleted-by-mistake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/when-official-google-blogger-blog-got-deleted-by-mistake\/","title":{"rendered":"When Google Deleted Its Own Blog by Mistake: Lessons for Bloggers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Can a blog really be <strong>deleted by mistake<\/strong>? It happened to Google itself. In March 2006 the Official Google Blog, hosted on Google&#8217;s own Blogger platform, suddenly disappeared. Google later explained that it had mistakenly deleted the blog, which freed up its blogspot address for a short time, and another user briefly claimed it before handing it back. I was a regular reader and a Blogger user at the time, and it was a wake-up call. Here&#8217;s what happened and how to protect your own blog in 2026.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-64931\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/google-blog-deleted-by-mistake-1024x538.webp\" alt=\"Google Blog deleted by mistake\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/google-blog-deleted-by-mistake-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/google-blog-deleted-by-mistake-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/google-blog-deleted-by-mistake-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/google-blog-deleted-by-mistake-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/google-blog-deleted-by-mistake.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> In March 2006 Google accidentally deleted its own Official Google Blog on Blogger, and someone briefly registered the freed address before it was restored. To protect your blog today: back it up regularly, use your own domain name instead of a free subdomain, turn on 2-Step Verification, limit who has admin access, and know how to restore a deleted Blogger blog from the &#8220;Deleted blogs&#8221; list.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6aec4d1f5b32d\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6aec4d1f5b32d\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/when-official-google-blogger-blog-got-deleted-by-mistake\/#What_happened_to_the_Google_Blog_in_2006\" >What happened to the Google Blog in 2006<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/when-official-google-blogger-blog-got-deleted-by-mistake\/#The_lesson_one_wrong_click_can_take_a_blog_down\" >The lesson: one wrong click can take a blog down<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/when-official-google-blogger-blog-got-deleted-by-mistake\/#How_to_protect_your_blog_in_2026\" >How to protect your blog in 2026<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/when-official-google-blogger-blog-got-deleted-by-mistake\/#1_Back_up_regularly\" >1. Back up regularly<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/when-official-google-blogger-blog-got-deleted-by-mistake\/#2_Use_your_own_domain\" >2. Use your own domain<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/when-official-google-blogger-blog-got-deleted-by-mistake\/#3_Secure_your_account\" >3. Secure your account<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/when-official-google-blogger-blog-got-deleted-by-mistake\/#4_Know_how_to_undelete_a_Blogger_blog\" >4. Know how to undelete a Blogger blog<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/when-official-google-blogger-blog-got-deleted-by-mistake\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/when-official-google-blogger-blog-got-deleted-by-mistake\/#Can_I_recover_a_deleted_Blogger_blog\" >Can I recover a deleted Blogger blog?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/when-official-google-blogger-blog-got-deleted-by-mistake\/#What_happens_to_my_blogspot_address_if_I_change_it\" >What happens to my blogspot address if I change it?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/when-official-google-blogger-blog-got-deleted-by-mistake\/#Where_is_the_official_Google_Blog_now\" >Where is the official Google Blog now?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happened_to_the_Google_Blog_in_2006\"><\/span>What happened to the Google Blog in 2006<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The Official Google Blog went offline without warning.<\/li>\n<li>Its googleblog.blogspot.com address briefly showed content from a different user.<\/li>\n<li>Google posted that the blog had been mistakenly deleted by its own team, which let the address be temporarily claimed, and that there was no system-wide Blogger vulnerability.<\/li>\n<li>The blog was restored within hours. Google&#8217;s company blog has since moved to <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.google\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">blog.google<\/a>, on its own domain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_lesson_one_wrong_click_can_take_a_blog_down\"><\/span>The lesson: one wrong click can take a blog down<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you run several blogs from one account, with many tabs open, it&#8217;s easy to delete or edit the wrong one. And if experienced engineers at Google can do it, so can any of us. A lost subdomain is even worse, because your readers and search rankings are tied to that address.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_protect_your_blog_in_2026\"><\/span>How to protect your blog in 2026<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Back_up_regularly\"><\/span>1. Back up regularly<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>On Blogger, go to Settings &gt; Manage blog &gt; Back up content to download an XML file of posts and comments, and save a copy of your theme. See how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2005\/11\/back-up-your-blogger-blog\/\">back up your Blogger blog<\/a>. On WordPress, use your host&#8217;s backups plus a backup plugin.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Use_your_own_domain\"><\/span>2. Use your own domain<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A custom domain belongs to you even if something happens to the platform. If you outgrow Blogger, see how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/import-blogger-posts-comments-to-wordpress\/\">import Blogger to WordPress<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/05\/redirect-blogger-to-wordpress\/\">redirect Blogger to WordPress<\/a> without losing traffic.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Secure_your_account\"><\/span>3. Secure your account<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Turn on 2-Step Verification for the Google account that owns the blog, and give other people author access rather than admin access where you can. Protect your domain too: see these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2015\/11\/domain-name-security\/\">domain name security tips<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Know_how_to_undelete_a_Blogger_blog\"><\/span>4. Know how to undelete a Blogger blog<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Blogger keeps deleted blogs for a limited time. Open Blogger, click the blog menu, find the blog under <strong>Deleted blogs<\/strong> and click <strong>Undelete<\/strong>. The <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/blogger\/answer\/41973?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Blogger Help Center<\/a> has the current steps. After the grace period, a deleted blog is gone for good.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_recover_a_deleted_Blogger_blog\"><\/span>Can I recover a deleted Blogger blog?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes, if you act quickly: look under Deleted blogs in Blogger and click Undelete.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happens_to_my_blogspot_address_if_I_change_it\"><\/span>What happens to my blogspot address if I change it?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Your old address stops pointing to your blog, and links to it may break. Use a custom domain to avoid this.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_is_the_official_Google_Blog_now\"><\/span>Where is the official Google Blog now?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>At blog.google, Google&#8217;s own domain, rather than on blogspot.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Can a blog really be deleted by mistake? It happened to Google itself. In March 2006 the Official Google Blog,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":64931,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,3,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogging","category-google","category-security"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1085","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1085"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1085\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64932,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1085\/revisions\/64932"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64931"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1085"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1085"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1085"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}