potentialgeek - 10:02 am on Apr 23, 2008 (gmt 0)

The suit claims Google doesn't inform advertisers that if they leave the content bid CPC input blank, Google will use the advertiser's CPC bid for clicks occurring on the content network.

By Thomas Claburn
InformationWeek
April 22, 2008 07:30 PM

A lawsuit filed against Google on Tuesday alleges that Google has been defrauding its AdWords customers by charging them for ads they don't want.

. . .

"This action arises from the fact that Google does not inform its advertisers that if they leave the content bid CPC input blank, Google will use the advertiser's CPC bid for clicks occurring on the content network," the legal filing says. "Google does this despite the fact that ads placed on the content network are demonstrably inferior to ads appearing on search result pages."

[informationweek.com...]

This is interesting because when I took a look at the AdWords interface it's wasn't immediately clear how to opt out. I was looking for checkboxes of Search Network and Content Network in the Campaign set up interface and didn't see them. Admittedly, it was a rushed look, but it's the main reason I never bothered to look further into AdWords (I'm a publisher).

I don't know if the plaintiff has a case, but Google isn't doing its best.

p/g