Is Google turning into a tabloid?

[aristotle]

There's an old saying that you can learn a lot about a magazine's readership by looking at its ads. I suspect that this is also true for many websites.

No doubt Google must have some standards for the ads it shows on its search results page. But after doing some checking, I wonder how high those standards are. Here are the headlines of some adwords ads that I found in just a few minutes of looking:

Make Money Online Fast
Get Paid $145 Per Survey
Turn $100s Into $1,000s
Quick Tip To Lose Weight
10 Best Weight Loss Pills
Baking Soda Cancer Remedy
Holistic Cancer Center
Shocking Celebrity Secrets We Can't Believe
Lonely Women Nearby
Pretty Ukraine Ladies
Random Naughty Hook Ups

I've read that Google's ad revenue has been increasing steadily for many years. I wonder if these types of ads are some of their biggest money-makers.

[tbear]

So, we won't ask what kind of websites those ads appeared on.... LOL.

Whenever I wonder about the ethics/morals of friend's business moves, they always tell me, 'Business is business'. Doesn't float my boat, but then, they all have lots more money than I do (which isn't difficult)......

[aristotle]

So, we won't ask what kind of websites those ads appeared on

Well they appeared on Google's search results pages.

[londrum]

what were you searching for though. if they were relevant then it is understandable they are showing them

[aristotle]

I was just doing some checking looking for those types of ads. I got the idea because I've been seeing those types of adsense ads, on sites where they're not very relevant. But the point is that Google is willing to advertise these kinds of businesses..

[londrum]

they are probably going to follow you around forever now, on every site you visit. if google thinks you are interested in that stuff then they will keep showing them as interest based ads.

[aristotle]

I used incognito browsing, as I nearly always do when searching. But to get back to the point I wanted to make, I think that Google is letting "shady" businesses like these advertise as a way to maintain their revenue growth.

[tbear]

So, we won't ask what kind of websites those ads appeared on.... LOL.

I was joking when I put that in, by the way....

But the point is that Google is willing to advertise these kinds of businesses..

'Business is business'.

And, they have far more money than we do...... So, I guess, many would say they must be right. Not sure I would agree with their methods, though...

[tangor]

If these ads (on G's search page) contravene G's own rules and terms of service, then yes, this might be a valid topic of discussion. If they don't, then they are just ads, served in interest of the search query. That old adage:

Search and ye shall receive. (yes, I do know the quote is "seek" and "find")

[aristotle]

I wonder how carefully Google checks these businesses, to make sure that they're legitimate, before the ads are approved.