I'm revisiting this topic mainly because I want to understand how Google and other bots handle the use of /images/index.htm After a lot of reading, I think it isn't good to use "404" for these, as content is there but just sort of off limits. If you read this web entry, at least some website designers use indexes in image folders. http://www.os-templates.com/documentation/why-are-empty-index-files-in-folders The above website designer refer to these under the webpage code HTTP 403. Wikipedia says: "A web server <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_server> may return a *403 Forbidden* HTTP status code <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_HTTP_status_codes> in response to a request from a client for a web page or resource to indicate that the server can be reached and understood the request, but refuses to take any further action. Status code 403 responses are the result of the web server being configured to deny access, for some reason, to the requested resource by the client." They have different 403s that can be used, but I don't understand all the nuances. My site uses a ton of newspaper and original images. They are being harvested and put onto icky webpages. For example, labeling a file as girls frilly dress or two boys is likely to end up on a s*x site. Submitters aren't happy about that. I'm tired of appealing to host companies to remove my content. And if it is overseas, tough luck. Another reason is my belief that all jpgs don't all need separately indexed as images for Search; using them on a page is visible enough. I use descriptive text H2, descriptive text page titles, and fully worded text links. So the topic and image can be found on the page where the image is used. My confusion is if I have an /image/index.html and indicate in the Title Meta tag "403" will Google still index the images for my site, OR is indexing not needed since most of the images are linked to their pages? Will it keep the jpgs from appearing in Google Images? What are the pros and cons to this? I ran Xenu tonight and it could not "switch into" the image directories where I used index.htm. Good because it shows they are working. But again what about the regular indexing of images by bots when the image is on a page? e.g. will those index as content, just not leave the images directory door wide open? (see example of a directory without an index.htm on http://www.os-templates.com/documentation/why-are-empty-index-files-in-folders ) Ralph alluded to creating problems if I use these index "doors". What kinds of problems? Can you be more specific? Does anyone know what SEO and SEO practices says about using the 403 designation as image directory "(restricted) doors"? Judy