"Framer" sites - new twist?

[Play_Bach]

In finding one of my sites recently framed in total by a directory which then puts it's Adlinks across the top of the pages, I've stumbled upon what I consider to be a gross abuse of the Adsense program.

This particular directory when searched in Google using site:domain here/directory/ returns 163,000 pages! I tabbed through 50 pages with no end in site. Depending on the lanuguage of the site framed, sometimes the Adlinks showed in Chinese, French, Spanish, Russian etc.!

I don't know who is behind this directory or how they managed to get approval from Adsense to do this, but conceivably they're making tons of money and all they do is frame... How can this be OK?

[Jon_King]

Add this to the head of every page and then check that site:

<script language="JavaScript1.1"
type="text/javascript"><!-- // hide from old browsers
if (parent.frames.length > 0) top.location.replace(document.location); // Escape from any referring site's frame, but preserve one-click "Back". -->
</script>

[Play_Bach]

> Add this to the head of every page and then check that site:

This would be for my site to keep it from being framed, right? But that's not what I'm talking about here - I'm referring to the practice of framing sites in the thousands like this directory is doing, throwing their Adlinks across the top of each one, and getting paid for it as *somehow* being allowed by Google - that's what I'm talking about.

[europeforvisitors]

That doesn't sound like a new idea--About.com has been framing other sites for years. AskJeeves used to do it, too (and may still be doing it; it's been a while since I used AskJeeves).

The legality of such framing has always been questionable, but the one big lawsuit involving such framing--the TotalNews.com case--ended up being settled, so framing remains a grey area.

[Play_Bach]

Thanks europeforvisitors (I've enjoyed reading many of your posts, BTW) - - granting for sake of argument that "framing remains a grey area," do you know if the practice is allowed by AdSense?

p.s. Just read about the TotalNews.com case here: legal.web.aol.com/decisions/dlip/washcomp.html
When I go to TotalNews.com, the site doesn't work right in Safari and when I do a "view source" of the code I see the copyright as 1997 - I take it, they're no longer in business?...

[Play_Bach]

As for About.com, my sites aren't in it so don't know how they'd render. As for Ask, when I searched for one of my sites, it came back as it does in all the other search engines and when I clicked on the link it took me to it - no frames.

[Jenstar]

You cannot frame other pages and simply add your AdSense code to the top header frame. It is against the terms.

[Play_Bach]

< You cannot frame other pages and simply add your AdSense code to the top header frame. It is against the terms.

Thank you Jen. That's what I thought and yet, that's exactly what this directory is doing - and doing it big time.

As previously stated (http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum89/10750.htm), I reported the URL to AdSense support showing how the directory was framing my site and adding their Adlinks to the top of the pages, but have not heard back from them yet. As of now, the bogus directory is still showing AdSense on thousands of pages and I can only presume, making boatloads of $$$$ too! :-¦

[Play_Bach]

I just heard back from Google saying "Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention" and later, that they had "forwarded your concerns to our team of specialists."

However as of now, the framing directory continues to frame my site along with thousands of others, his Adlinks alive and well...

[edited by: Play_Bach at 6:41 pm (utc) on Dec. 8, 2005]

[incrediBILL]

I've reported sites that framed other sites with AdSense in the frames and they were booted from AdSense - send your complaints now!