Are you allowed to removes the Ads by Google and Links by Google words

from your Google AdSense ads?

[The_Doctor]

Or is this against the TOS?

Thank you!

[The Contractor]

No, read their terms and conditions about "not" altering the code.

[larryhatch]

Understood, Contractor:

Now how about changing colors, borders etc. to make the ads
blend in better with your pages, or to stand out better?
Are these alterations specifically exempted from the 'no alterations' TOS?

[arrowman]

Now how about changing colors, borders etc. to make the ads blend in better with your pages, or to stand out better?

Those are configurations, not alterations. The difference? You push buttons in the Adsense control panel , instead of altering Javascript code.