.de is also used in many hacks, maybe even more popular than .io, and Google does not allow to change the geographic target for those domains in Webmaster Tools.
Any idea why? Do they fear that this setting will be abused? Hope to hold the floodgate and have people use geographically "appropriate" TLDs?
Maybe because .de is still pretty well used in Germany? And .de is still marketed as a German TLD, not a generic one (like, for instance, .io is). To get a .de domain, you must have an address in Germany, so it makes sense to consider it a German ccTLD.
So? You should still be able to tell Google: “Hey this .de domain? I'm using it market to an international audience, so don't hide me from the world. Kthx.”
Then shouldn't that be the case for _every_ TLD? Then surely we shouldn't go on a TLD by TLD basis, when we should 'petition' Google for revising their country bias per TLD.
Although, doesn't .de domains appear on Google.com given the right search (e.g. 'Der Spiegel')?
Any idea why? Do they fear that this setting will be abused? Hope to hold the floodgate and have people use geographically "appropriate" TLDs?