Changing URL to Match Background Color. Against TOS?

[titoslack]

Just started noticing a lot of big sites are setting the URL color in their ads to match the background color of their site. Is this against the TOS?

[Visit Thailand]

Some big sites are Premium publishers and they have their own rules and regulations.

For regular publishers changing the url to match your background is against the TOS.

[RonPK]

I must be missing the point: what could be wrong about making the URL color the same as the document's background color? And how would G check that?

[Jenstar]

From the policies:
Elements on a page must not obscure any portion of the ads, and the ad colors must be such that any ad elements, including text and URL, are visible.

The AdSense javascript will automatically change the color of the title/text/url if it is in the same or similar color to the background. So light grey URL on a white background will automatically be changed to a black URL.

However, some ad formats do not show the URL, so that might be what you are seeing.