Hurricane - Can you believe this guy?

[wheelie34]

Just been browsing the latest new adsense forum and some guy is actually trying to profit out of hurricane victims, talk about jumping on the bandwagon, I had to read it twice to understand what hes on about, and I quote

so call me Robin Hood if you like. All the people who are at home comfortably, leisurely searching the net for hurricane pictures and news, end up at my site, buy smoething or click on something and then, without having to justify amounts to anyone, I am able to give more to the disaster relief

ye right, is it just me or am I correct in thinking he is after a fast buck?

PM me if youd like to read his story

[surfer67]

give more to disaster relief

I believe his definition of disaster relief is his overdue car payments, rent, and other personal items and expenses.

Surfer

[bts111]

Parasites like this have been trying to profit from others misfortunes since Jesus was playing full back for Jerusalem.

[cabowabo]

since Jesus was playing full back for Jerusalem.

That's funny, but unfortunately true. It's like the second coming of Spamford Wallace.

Cheers,

CaboWabo

[maccas]

What about 9/11 it seemed every second site was trying to sell flags.. yep makes me sick to.

[jomaxx]

I don't really see the problem, based on that one quote.

If the person is making false statements to site visitors about how much he is helping hurricane victims, that's bad. If he has a spammy site that uses spammy SEO techniques to drive legitimate information sites down in the results, that's bad. But simply acknowledging that you are profiting from disaster merely makes you more honest than, say, CNN, who are careful never to say how happy they are to have a breaking-news type crisis that causes people to watch them 24/7.

I have several areas of my sites I can think of where the self-righteous could say that I'm profiting from pain, disease, death or destruction, and that I should be donating my revenue to various charities. I'm sure many of us do. Therefore I'm reluctant to start throwing stones.

[medowl]

There wouldn't be a flood of people selling flags after 9-11 if there wasn't a torrent of people wanting to buy them. Same with news, pictures, or other hurricane info. Markets are created by human needs and desires. The people that make a business meeting those needs might be ethical (or unethical) and they might make a profit (or lose their shirt).

There are some crass people out there, for sure. Some vultures that want to scoop in and profit. But most sucessful businesses are businesses that take a long term approach, and for that they need a good reputation, repeat customers, etc.

[makes a little sense]

But if it's true more money goes to relief via clicking on ads, then what's the problem. The means are questionable, but if the ends are that people get more money from clickers, then so be it.

[ann]

IMHO the guy is scum and doesn't plan to give anything to anyone unless it's to the mortgage holder of his home, car, etc.

It's a gray area so can't be sure it is against the T&C but if it isn't he is skating real close to the line.

Ann

[roadhazard]

Well, I am not that guy, but since I have survived 3 major hurricanes, Andrew, Katrina and Rita, I did put up a page of MY OWN personal survival preparations, hoping to help others. I did put up a few survival kits which I personally feel contain items folks require in a disaster situation, plus one has prayers and calming thoughts, so I liked that one also. I think if the other person actually KNEW what a high caliber hurricane is like when the eye goes over you, then he would have sensitivity, as I certainly do. My page is to help people to literally SURVIVE. God knows, I do know whereof I speak. I tell people that if they are ordered to evacuate, then GET OUT. Don't try to hold out in their homes if they are ordered to evacuate. We have pets. Pets have serious issues during a hurricane and other disasters. I hope to do a page on HOW TO HELP YOUR PETS SURVIVE A DISASTER. I do tell them already to be sure the pets are wearing ID. But there is a lot more information I have to put together to help people who have pets and who may face a possible disaster. WE KNOW WHERE THE HURRICANES USUALLY HIT. Goodness knows they hit where I live.
Since I want people to have a survival kit at home and at the office, and since I do not make the kits myself, I put up only a few kits which seem VERY worthwhile to me. Who has survived more major hurricanes than me? I bet that guy has never been NEAR a hurricane or any type of disaster.

[roadhazard]

Plus I teach them two ways to purify suspect water, such as canal water. We had NO water for three days after Hurricane Andrew. AND IT WAS EXTREMELY HOT WEATHER... My husband desperately went out seeking some water somewhere, anywhere... I remember on day 3 he was able to get some. At that time, I did NOT know how to purify rain water without boiling it... Yes, I hope to be able to move out of the Hurricane Lane when possible, but can't afford to move yet. SCARY was when the eye of Katrina went exactly over our town. You don't know what a big hurricane looks like when it is arriving. Down here, we do know... I do not have very many web visitors yet, only about 200-300 a day, so do not start thinking I made any money from the kits. None have sold yet, but I do hope people will buy at least one and keep it at hand. And I hope they pay attention to my personal survival tips. Downed electric lines, huge trees falling on people and killing them instantly, we know all about hurricanes down here. We all watch the satellite imagery to see what is forming East of Cuba... then we get the JITTERS, believe me. We know hurricanes bring high numbers of deaths. I don't care what a tough guy or gal you think you are, if you lived here, you would quake in your boots when you see the eye start to form... and you want and need every survival tip you can get, anywhere you can get it. That is how we live down here.

[ann]

At least you are offering something that will help others, whether or not you charge for it, but that guy is out to help his own bottom line, IMO

Ann

[roadhazard]

Thanks, Ann. Well, I choose very low priced items for my entire site which is a bargain gifts site anyway. I try to keep most items as close to $20 as possible throughout the 200 pages. My visitors are looking for bargains. I do not try to abuse anyone. On my site the About Us page states that if the visitor has ANY PROBLEM whatsoever with a merchant or the product ordered, just email us and we will DROP that merchant and send a notice to that merchant regarding the complaint. I am only making between $3 to $5 a day, but each week is a tiny bit more... If they arrive seeking bargains and they get a bit of FREE disaster survival info and a few very low priced useful survival kits to choose from, I think these folks have benefited. I also ask them to email us anytime with any questions. I love our site and we have never had a complaint so far. Of course, at some point probably one will arrive, but we will handle it the above way. Thanks again, Ann.

[roadhazard]

Correction: 2000 pages.

[Atticus]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it against the Adsense TOS to ask visitors to click on ads, even for supposed charitable purposes?

And if someone is willing to ask for help in stealing money from an advertisers, what does that say about that person's general character and the likelihood that they will, in fact, donate some money to disater relief?

[Powdork]

Explaining what happens when you click is not the same as asking someone to click.
Roadhazard, I too lived through andrew and was in the eye of david as well (smaller cat 2). When I decided to move to Tahoe, it was with a buddy who was a general contractor in Miami who was sick of people calling him at 1 am because their insurance had run out and their house wasn't finished (huge permitting backlog). Still, I and many others get excited by extreme weather. The awesome power of Mother Nature is a beauty to behold and something to be embraced. But only after going through the type of preparations you mentioned. There aren't any hurricanes any more but 10 foot snow storms aren't uncommon and avalanches take lives here every year. Yes, when an avalanche makes the news, usually after a death, my sales of beacons do go up. That's not wrong, it's just the way things are.
Please don't mistake my post as saying I get excited about the loss of life or misery associated with hurricanes or disasters. That is a separate issue entirely.

[Atticus]

Pow,

Have you ever actually read the Adsense TOS?

"Web pages may not include incentives of any kind for users to click on ads. This includes encouraging users to click on the ads or to visit the advertisers' sites as well as drawing any undue attention to the ads."

"as well as drawing any undue attention to the ads."

"as well as drawing any undue attention to the ads."

Here's an idea! Will you pay me 10 cents/click if I run an ad on my website that says "Clicking here will help save drowning puppies in NOLA?"

[jomaxx]

Atticus, who are you accusing of asking people to click on their ads?

[Powdork]

Yes I have read the TOS and he is talking about advertisers on his site in general. Keep in mind I am only going by what was posted in the OP; I haven't seen the site or the full context of what was actually said. While I agree he probably has run afoul of the TOS, I don't think we can make that assumption based on what has been posted here.

BTW, this thread shows up on Google when searching for the quote, but not the site we are commenting on.

[Atticus]

jo,

The OP quoted a site as saying:

"so call me Robin Hood if you like. All the people who are at home comfortably, leisurely searching the net for hurricane pictures and news, end up at my site, buy smoething or click on something and then, without having to justify amounts to anyone, I am able to give more to the disaster relief"

The Adsense TOS says, "Web pages may not include incentives of any kind for users to click on ads. This includes encouraging users to click on the ads or to visit the advertisers' sites as well as drawing any undue attention to the ads."

So my "accusation" is that those two statements exist somewhere in the known universe. Screw down your thinking cap real tight and see if you can reconcile them.

[jomaxx]

Quote: SOME GUY said it in a FORUM. There's no indication in the original post that it was even possible to figure out what his site was.

So my "accusation" is that those two statements exist somewhere in the known universe. Screw down your thinking cap real tight and see if you can reconcile them.

If I were you I'd learn to read before attempting to flame either me or Powdork.

[ann]

You are quite welcome RH. Keep up the good work.

People can never be educated enough in this type of disaster, or any disaster for that matter.

My hat is off to both of you, powdork? was it? for the other helpful site.

Ann

[Atticus]

jo,

Yes, some guy said it it a forum! Will wonders never cease! You're some guy in a forum, I'm some guy in a forum, all God's children are guys in a forum.

How in the world can anyone reply to any thread, if it is "wrong" to discuss what some guy said in a forum?

The point is that the OP cited an example of someone with very bad taste, using a disaster to try to fleece advertisers. No one seemed to notice that not only is such an act highly distasteful, but is also against the Adsense TOS.

I did not flame you. Your own stupidity flamed you. Perhaps you'd like to try again?

[jomaxx]

I'm begging you, just READ the actual post that started this thread and then explain to me where it says that this person has encouraged anyone to click on his ads.

[Powdork]

Atticus, we are simply talking about opinions here. We all have different ones. I don't feel we we're given enough information to make an informed decision about a matter with legal implications. You obviously do.
Wrap your obviously superior mind around this.

so call me Robin Hood if you like. All the people who are at home comfortably, leisurely searching the net for hurricane pictures and news, end up at my site, buy smoething or click on something and then, without having to justify amounts to anyone, I am able to give more to the disaster relief by staying with my guard unit and helping in New Orleans (all the meanwhile documenting the trials and tribulations) than I could by returning to my family. Besides, until the flooding has receded and we can move back in we would just be more crowded if I were to stay with them and the thirteen other relatives staying at our cousins 3 BR 2 bath condo in Baton Rouge. Lord I miss my kids though.

[Atticus]

jo and pow,

The operative words are "click on something..."

Even the scammer knows he's a thief -- note the Robin Hood reference. I like Robin Hood as much as the next guy and stealing from the rich to give to the poor certainly has a romantic quality.

But even Robin Hood did not steal from people with whom he had signed a binding contract and with whom he hoped to have an ongoing business relationship.

Apart from your obvious psychological need to continue to defend your indefensible positions, do you really believe that any advertiser wants to pay for invalid clicks for any reason? Couldn't these advertisers simply choose to donate cash to charity on their own accord rather than wait for some supposedly noble thief to steal their daily bread?

Would you advise WebmasterWorld readers to make statements on their websites to the effect that people should click lots of ads?

Would you pay to advertise on such a site?