is it considered cheating?

[Natashka]

My site is trilingual (English, Spanish and Russian). All html pages (templates) are the same for all 3 languages, only the language packs are different. Depending on a user's browser language the different language pack is served, but my pages html remains the same.

Thus, technically there is no way I can prevent Google Adsense ads to appear on the pages when those are displayed in Russian, as the Adsense code is hardcored in the html template. Currently, Adsense doesn't support content ads in Russian. Only public ads are served for Russian visitors, which is OK with me.

But my question is: is it considered cheating and can I be banned for it? I mean the fact that Adsense code appears on the pages with Russian text?

[JamesR3]

I'm not clear on technically what you are doing. You must have translations of the text that are dynamically scripted, since a "language pack" (which I think of as being a browser add-in) would allow characters to show up correctly, but would not do actual translation.

Therefore, I assume you have dynamic scripting going on. So, why not script it so that AdSense code does not show up on pages with unsupported languages?

Regardless, to answer your question I would say yes, you are breaking the TOS (if you are correct in what the TOS says -- not having language issues with my site, I haven't paid attention to what those rules are). It isn't Google's problem if complying with the TOS makes things technically more difficult on you. The TOS are what they are, even if your particular situation makes it more difficult for you to comply.

[Blue_Fin]

It is a violation of the AdSense Program Policies.

Language
The AdSense ad code for content-based ads may be placed on pages with content primarily in any of our supported languages. Ads must not be displayed on any page with content primarily in an unsupported language.

[google.com...]

[Natashka]

Thanks for your reply, I understand. The language pack is like what they have on most message boards (phpBB, invision, ikonboard etc..), you can display a message board in different languages, depending on a user's preferred language. Users can choose their preferred message board display language from the control panel. Thus, if something is displayed on the board, it is displayed to everybody, regardless of the preferred language.

I'll have to remove adsense from my site, have no other option... probably many phpBB and other forum owners with language packs including "forbidden" languages cannot display Google adsense as well :(

If you see any message board on the net that is displayed in English to you, but has an option to switch to some unsupported language AND displays Adsense, they are cheating then.

[Vlad]

Depending on a user's browser language the different language pack is served, but my pages html remains the same.

Privet!

I would try to find someone to write you a script that would block the adds to show if a Russian browser is detected.

Are you running a CMS type website? If its written in php? It seems like it would be pretty easy to write a scrpt like that.

You could also email Google and ask them for advice.

[JamesR3]

Google isn't going to give you any technical help I bet, but Vlad is right that this problaby has a simple fix. I don't do PHP, but I bet someone that does could fix this in a very short time.

[Natashka]

Thanks Vlad :) *Spasibo*

My site is based on phpBB.

I would appreciate if somebody can help me out with such script. So far I removed adsense from my site, but would really like it back. I think such script would be useful for boards and CMS, like Nuke.

[jetteroheller]

The method is not usefull, because how should the pages become correct indexed by search engines.

To have explaning URLs, I use often even a domain name per language.

english.com/english-word/english-word.htm
german.com/german-word/german-word.htm

[Natashka]

I do have the entry index pages that look like that, for 3 different languages. On those 3 pages I kept adsense. But what about the rest of my site? Due to the nature of my site (international dating) I cannot have 3 separate sites, it must be 3-in-1.

SE index everything in English, since it is a default language. That's cool with me, as my main site's language is still English.

[jetteroheller]

3 domain names - one site - would be my philosophy in this case.

Each single page of each domain linked to the 2 other translated pages.

So You would have also spanish visitors from search engines and I would expect that in the next year, russian will be also on the list of AdSense languages.

[UnnamedPlayer]

You say you use phpBB. Do you have the AdSense code hardcoded on a template file, like overall_header.tpl?

[roycerus]

I would suggest you pass the adsense code to the .tpl file as a variable. Now you have the power to decide on which page language you want the adsense to appear.

In phpbb I would simple add it as a variable in the page_header.php and if a "if" statement to check against the language version variable. I am not sure what the variable will be but this seems the easiest solution to the problem.

R

[UnnamedPlayer]

That's the way to go. I believe the variable is $userdata['user_lang']