Major loophole closed in AdSense

index.html?keyword no longer displays those keyword ads

[Jenstar]

Since AdSense launched, it has been a well known secret that a page with index.html?keyword would automatically display ads specifically for that keyword, regardless of whether mediabot had seen the page before or not.

For example, a page all about auto mechanics with www.domain.com/index.html?weight+loss would show weight loss ads, even if there was not a single word even remotely related to weight loss on the page those ads were "targeted" to.

There was a similar loophole when viewing local html with the AdSense code (testing pages on your computer before uploading them to the web). You could view your page, and the ads would automatically target to keywords in your directory or file names, again, regardless of what the on-page content was.

This loophole was often seen on directory sites & search engines (even though AdSense on search results is against the terms) because it would provide perfectly targeted ads every time, and show targeted ads every time - but it was also used to provide high-money keywords on pages that had absolutely nothing to do with that keyword, and particularly on auto-generated webpages.

Now, www.domain.com/index.html?weight+loss shows PSA ads, until the mediabot comes along, then it will start showing targeted ads - not targeted to the keyword, but targeted for the actual on-page content. AdSense viewed locally will now only show PSA ads.

I think this loophole fix has been a long time coming, and the writing was on the wall a few days ago that they were testing some sort of fix to this. It was great for seeing what ads a particular keyword or keyword combination would show in AdSense. But it was most often used to provide high money keywords, regardless of the page's subject, or to provide those keywords on auto-generated pages, where the only way to leave would be through the back button or an AdSense click, since no content on the page was usable.

And this also partially explains why there have been more PSAs reported lately, possibly from AdSense tweaking, or perhaps all index.html?keyword style of pages (even if the keyword wasn't a true keyword but another variable) were flagged to show PSAs until the mediabot could go back to each one and ensure they were properly targeted ads, and not targeted to the keyword instead.

This should be for the good of AdSense, and will help keep the Adwords advertisers happy, which AdSense should be doing, since it is those advertisers that fund the program to pay the publishers ;)

[Yidaki]

Thanks for the info, Jen! Good move, Google. Rumours are that some clever webmasters are allready creating targeted content related to their url's keywords...

[karatekid]

As an Adwords buyer I would not be happy somebody clicked my text ad because it was the only way they could escape a tricked out scripted page.

As an Adsense publisher I'm happy the company is on even sounder footing for the future.

Go Google.

[ct2000]

Good job Google ;)

[killroy]

Unfortunately, the fight against spam and generally evil andnasty people (I hope still the minoritsy of the worlds internet population) has once more struck ablow against your average, mostly honest joe (hopefully still the majority of the internet population). Since url targeted ads, where not abused, usually made a lot of sense, and gained the advertiser valid leads and the publisher valid income (and google too), and of course the visitor some WELL tergeted ads.

I've experienced, and seen often times here on the board, how the initial, url targeted ads were better targeted then the final, media-partners bot supported ads.

This just goes to show that Google's adSense targeting algo still has a loooong way to go. I hope it won't have to many honest people as casualties on the way.

SN

PS: If I wanted to destroy the internet, I'd simply think how I can make hte most money, using all possibilities technology gives me without any other consideration. Trust me on that one. Sad.

[karatekid]

The adsonar program allows webmasters to set an ad preference if the algo can't figure out the page. If Adsense introduces the same tool they will eliminate the need for affected webmasters to find a solution on their own.

[Jenstar]

If Adsense introduces the same tool they will eliminate the need for affected webmasters to find a solution on their own.

People using this were NOT using it to provide better targeted ads, they were using it to cheat the AdSense program to display what the publishers felt where the highest paying CPC ads.

It's not a case of having a site on cats and wanting to show cat toys rather than cat food ads. Its a case of having a site on cats and wanting to show ads on mesothelioma or those other keywords that have bids of $20+ a click.

If this wasn't closed, this would hurt all publishers, as more and more Adwords advertisers would drop out, meaning less ads to be displayed on partner sites, and less money to be made by publishers.

A very smart (and much needed) move by Google, IMO.

[Shak]

nice find Jenstar....

sure should keep all the adwords advertisers happy.

dont suppose you care to share your source ;)

Shak

[europeforvisitors]

Its a case of having a site on cats and wanting to show ads on mesothelioma or those other keywords that have bids of $20+ a click.

Is this really a big problem for Google and AdWords/AdSense advertisers? How many visitors to a cat site are going to to respond to an ad for asbestos-related cancers?

Is Google just figuring that it's better to be safe than to be sorry?

[Jenstar]

Adwords advertisers who are paying $50 a click and see their mesothelioma ads on a cat site (or whatever keyword ads on whatever completely unrelated site) were getting very upset. There have been discussions on this in the Adwords forum by advertisers.

And in the case of mesothelioma, there will always be people on that cat site thinking "what on earth is mesothelioma?" and would click. Cha-ching for the publisher, complaints by the advertiser.

This was a useful tool, and Google probably would have left it alone if it had not been abused.

[Jobarr]

I still think a very broad category selection would be good. Something like Sports/News/Entertainment/Arts/etc. That would help to make sure the ads were targeted while not letting people choose something specifically.

[Blue_Fin]

That might target your ads to a category, but it wouldn't insure that your ads are targeted to your site content if your content isn't in those categories, so it would result in the same type of abuse, albeit on a lesser scale.

[Jobarr]

Well, since my site is about a music group, ads targeted to "Entertainment" or "Music" would more than likely always do better than ads targeted to "Technology" or "Sports". I suppose it could be abused but it would be nice. :)

[BlueSky]

Have you heard anything on whether the publishers playing the system like this will be punished and the advertisers who had their ads hijacked to non-targeted sites reimbursed?

[Blue_Fin]

While this practice is certainly beyond the intent of the AdSense program and that's why it was fixed, there has been no violation committed by the publisher (unless they were running AdSense on search results pages), so there should be no punishment.

[BlueSky]

Jenster said people were doing this to cheat the system. I would expect the affected advertisers to get reimbursed for these clicks otherwise Google risks losing them as well as others. Since this is a zero sum game, the money should come out of the pockets of those who profited -- ie the participating publishers and Google. I also expect Google to terminate their relationship with these publishers. Others have reported being kicked out for far less. Why risk the possibility of having these people try to cheat your paying clients again.

[mayor]

People using this trick were stealing from the advertisers using computer fraud in interstate commerce.

The Department of Justice looks for people engaged in computer crimes and the FBI gets involved where the fraud is interstate. If I were a perpetrator of this scheme, I would be looking over my shoulder right now.

[Jenstar]

What the publishers did with this?keyword trick was never against the Google AdSense terms, policies or the FAQ. I can't see why it would qualify as a computer crime. And since it is not against the program to do this, I don't think AdSense would have a just reason to suspend any webmaster who did this from the program, unless they did violate the terms in another way, such as displaying AdSense in search results.

This was simply a loophole in the way AdSense displayed ads that caused specific ads to be shown, rather than ads based upon the true content of the page. It was mentioned here several months ago as a way to display specific ads rather than mediabot targered ones. Yes, some publishers were doing it for the wrong reasons, but it isn't a crime to do so.

Were they stealing? No. They provided the ads they wanted to display, but it was still up to a visitor to click on them or not.

[killroy]

That would turn ALL of traditional CPM advertisign into FBI investigated computer fraud, since they all show ads not perfectly targeted to a sites theme, which is the WORST that can be done with the?keyword method, and by googles CHOICE no less.

Let's keep things in perspective before we start throwing big words around, please.

SN

[BlueSky]

I don't think there are any loopholes. In the terms, it says: "Prohibited Uses. You shall not, and shall not authorize or encourage any third party to: (i) generate fraudulent impressions of or fraudulent clicks on any Ad(s), including but not limited to through ..." The bold words here allow them to include additional scenarios outside the ones they specifically list. If Google doesn't kick out the blatant cheats, they could always feed them PSAs instead. IMO they need to at least make the affected advertisers' whole again. I doubt they will take a loss to do that.

Let's keep things in perspective before we start throwing big words around, please.

Why don't you take a look at our law for wire fraud [www4.law.cornell.edu] (proof [lectlaw.com]). The feds seem to like to charge people who cause financial harm to others via the net with at least that one. If the person sends just one thing via the postal system, the feds like to add mail fraud [www4.law.cornell.edu] (proof [lectlaw.com]). In the cases I've followed, those always stuck even if other charges didn't. However, I kinda doubt any publisher will be charged with anything as long as the affected advertisers are made whole, and the publisher isn't involved in a larger ring.

[mayor]

Sorry if I over-reacted. Jenstar, your comment about people providing those keywords on auto-generated pages without content, where the only way to leave would be through the back button or an AdSense click was what I interpreted to be fraud.