Forum Moderators: martinibuster
On Aug. 25 I reported 13 websites through e-mail addressed to adsense-abuse@google.com . In each case I found these sites as a result of a Google search for the common phrases like "click our Google ads".
In each case I received a form letter saying that they would investigate. One site was so blatant that they had a arrow pointing to the ads that says "click here".Here is the text that is on the page:
"<snip>"
I checked back on this site on Sept. 3 and the ads were still running and the copy and arrow still there. I then clicked the Ads by Google and reported them again identifying myself as an AdWords' content advertiser and AdSense publisher. I received another form letter.
I just checked back again, Sept. 18, and the ads are still there and the page is exactly the same.
I have always had lot of faith in G and I must say that this faith is crumbling. What could possible hold up action being taken against this site? It's embarrassing and discouraging. Why should I spend my time trying to validate the system when they just ignore the the complaints and yahoos like we find posting in this thread seem to be operating in immunity.
ASA this is directed to you.
Can there be a logical reason why this problem has taken so long to address? If you say lack of bodies I'm going to go ballistic. You should be throwing all your resources at this problem and lack of bodies is NOT a valid excuse. If you asked for volunteers from the long term members here I'm sure many of us would be happy to donate an hour per week to find offending sites. Just ask although it's not as though you can't afford to hire the staff to police the system.
I am not one who thinks that this is a deliberate corporate policy rather I think it's inertia in management. It's vital that Google addresses this problem with all the power at it's disposal. Every crook out there who gets away with this crap is encouraging others to join them.
I have been wanting to post this for the last week and half however this new thread has given me the opportunity to unload this off my chest. Sorry for ranting.
This site is still showing Google ads.
This is not good for the rest of us or the AdWord advertisers.
[edited by: Jenstar at 1:51 am (utc) on Sep. 30, 2005]
[edit reason] No website quotes please [/edit]
I've been trying as both publisher and advertiser to get rid of an advertiser whose site contains nothing but an adwords block meant to be a menu, an adsense block meant to be content, and a further adsense block at the bottom of the page for a couple of months now. I've emailed support and abuse many times, and they simply don't respond. Do you or ASA know of any way to get this matter looked at higher?
Surely the site I describe can't be compliant with the TOS?
Please can somebody explain to me why Google haven't made it comply / booted it after being notified several times?
Just to follow up, the site's account has already been terminated by AdSense.
Finally.
I guess the whole point of this exercise is too push Google to throw some bodies at this problem.
I am absolutely sure that with 15 minutes of searching on Google I could find hundreds more examples.
Please G be more proactive and timely with these cases. This particular site should have been pulled in a matter of days - not a month.
Counting the days it takes for google to dump this site.
Please Click our ads [google.com]
Click our Google ads [google.com]
Click the google ads [google.com]
Just click the ads [google.com]
Need i go on... PFFFFT.
I was just looking at a site that has a "Google Ads" link as part of the main navigation. Visiting that page there is only an ad block with one sentence of content: "Please click this ad."
Strange indeed, I sincerely thought the algo would pick these guys out, but who knows, we might be witnessing a sting op against an organized group.
This is a real zinger of a thread, thanks Tropical Island.
This site is still showing Google ads.
Actually, the site is only showing PSAs site wide as of today.
I SM'd you on this earlier, but not early enough it seems ;)
Please Click our ads
Click our Google ads
Click the google ads
Just click the ads
ASA - you listening here?
I know this will sound TOO SIMPLE - but why don't you just drop a list of PHRASES like these into the mediabot's negative filter and it will start generating PSAs automatically on every page/site violating this particular rule.
If innocent sites are hit they will have to be dealt with one at a time but I'll hazard a guess the volume will be inversely proportional to all the little scammer sites.
I know this will sound TOO SIMPLE
Everyone knows sometimes simple is best... I think your idea is great just a little tweeking and google could pretty much catch out the "stupid" fraudsters.
I sincerely do not know why google are not covering the basics, too much, too soon, too fast...etc etc etc Sounds like the company I work for always pushing new things never fully doing all the basics and little things.
Grr.
This is a real zinger of a thread, thanks Tropical Island.
You're welcome.
The important thing is that we keep pressuring AS to become more active in eliminating these "crooks" 'cuz that's what they are and they are going to destroy the best thing to hit the Internet since PPC.
We have to maintain the confidence of the advertiser that if we are running his ads (or mine) on our sites he will get some value out of it.
About the only way we can, as a group, rectify this problem is to keep sending reports into AS as they have asked us to do and then FOLLOW UP and make sure they take them down. If, after a reasonable time, they have not then report it here. Let's keep this issue public. No company wants to be seen as unresponsive.
