News Aggregators and AdSense

[cubic]

Yesterday I checked Apache log and found out that an automated news aggregator accessing the news stories, which have AdSense ads, on our site several times a minute (5-10). The news aggregator sends only a GET request and there's no actual access to that page, but does it count as an impression on Google AdSense report?

Is refreshing a page which contains AdSense ads in order to test a new design/features violates Google AdSense TOS? I know that artificialy generating impressions/clicks is forbidden, but what about impressions done by the webmaster himself?

[dk7012]

No I don't think refreshig a page in order to view new design or changes to your website is not a violation of the TOS. It shouldn't be because as a webmaster, whenever you are making changes you're bound to refresh the page. I think google has taken this into account.

[bernis]

i think it's not .. rss agregators don't process pages ... so adsense javascript doesn't get executed ... so google has no way to know

[cubic]

Okay, thanks for your answers! I decided to contact Google regarding both issues and hear their opinion.

[cubic]

I got a response from Google regarding testing pages with AdSense code:

"[..]Thank you for your interest in adhering to our program policies. According to Section 5 of our Terms and Conditions, it states "You shall not, and shall not authorize or encourage any third party to: (i) directly or indirectly generate queries, impressions of or clicks on any Search Results and/or Ad(s) through any automated, deceptive, disingenuous or fraudulent means, including but not limited to through repeated manual
clicks, the use of robots or other automated query tools and/or computer generated search requests, and/or the fraudulent use of other search engine optimization services and/or software;... " During the process of
testing your web site, false page impressions will be generated which does not accurately reflect the proper activity of your AdSense ads. Therefore, please use the "ads-like" image when running your tests."

Thought it would be useful for the webmasters here.

[camper]

What's the "ads-like image"?

[Galtego]

Make screenshots that include the example portion of the Ad Settings - Ad Layout Code in your control panel and crop and place the images in test design layouts.