Did I do the right thing?

thebassman · 07-30-2004, 05:48 PM

A competing photography forum of mine just recently started running google adsense on their site, then just recently sent out a mass email to all their members asking them to click on upwards of 20 ads per day. I emailed adsense, and they replied (below). Did I do the right thing? It seems they are still running ads... wouldn't someone's account get cancelled for such an obvious breech of the TOS?

Quote:

Hello Tim,

Thank you very much for bringing this issue to our attention. As you have
pointed out, encouraging people to click on Google ads will artificially
inflate advertisers' costs and is a violation of our program policies. I
have forwarded your finding on to our team of specialists for further
investigation.

We appreciate you taking the time to offer us this feedback and encourage
you to continue to let us know how we can improve Google AdSense. Google
is always working to optimize our services. Your feedback is vital to the
success of this program.

Please feel free to reply to this email if you have additional questions
or concerns. For technical support, please email adsense-tech@google.com.

Sincerely,

Phoebe
The Google Team

----------------
Search the web with Google from any site. Download the free Google
Toolbar. www.google.com/toolbar/search2

Original Message Follows:
------------------------
From: "Tim L. Walker"
Subject: Suggestions/Comments
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2004 00:17:48 -0700

Hey,

A competitor site of mine just recently started publishing adsense on
their site (www.photoforums.com), and I'd just like to point out that've
blatently broken the TOS. They send out monthly emails, and included in
their email this month was the following excerpt:

<quote>
"Keeping our site up and running is expensive! To help defer some of our
costs we have reluctantly installed Google Ads at the bottom of the Forums
and Galleries pages. These ads return us a couple bucks a month and help
cover the costs of hosting, software customization and site upgrades...
but only if you click on them!

Please, please, please take a second and click on an ad or two (or 20).
Your simple click will help us keep PhotoForums.com alive! We really
appreciate it!"
</quote>

Just thought I'd pass this along. If you'd like, I can also forward the
original email.

Thanks,
Tim L. Walker

Wha'd'ya think? Am I a bit of an ass for reporting them?

Pinyo · 07-30-2004, 05:51 PM

personally I would have informed your "competitor" (or fellow hobbist) first. :-(

John Scott · 07-30-2004, 05:52 PM

LOL. Yes, you're an arse, but it's still hilarious.

thebassman · 07-30-2004, 05:56 PM

The people that run that site are arses... don't like 'em.

They knew they were breaking the TOS when they did it... just trying to scam adword users (which, more than likely) are the same ones that generally end up on my site too)...

dave conz · 08-01-2004, 02:09 AM

It sounds like these guys knew damn well what they were doing. This sort of BS devalues Adsense and costs all the legitimate publishers money.

Go Bassman - Serve it up to them!

schmeg007 · 08-01-2004, 03:25 AM

I say you did good work.

ferret77 · 08-01-2004, 09:49 AM

I would say you are a snitch

but hey I guess all is fair in competition

I mean your actions are motivated by wanting to hurt the competitor not any "noble" reason

right?

imaginemn · 08-01-2004, 10:06 AM

I've worked with thebassman a few weeks ago and he give me the impression of someone who is kind and not out to get someone. This is a tough one but in the end I think it's for the best.

People trying to scam a program eventually will get caught one way or another and then the people who end up paying paying for it is the others who are also using adsense, because google will make it harder to try to prevent this from happening. Rules get tougher, payouts get lower, etc.

imaginemn

ferret77 · 08-01-2004, 10:17 AM

I guess thats true just remind not to scam adsense when any of you guys are around

Ferre · 08-01-2004, 03:35 PM

From what I have read on these forums about google adsense I am convinced that google has it's own ways to find out if their system is abused.

I have read many posts here from people who got kind of penalized by google for 'suspected clicks' so my guess is that it is not needed for anyone to be a snitch. Of course I understand that competition can bring out the worse in people and of course I can understand Bassman's drive to report on that website but if you ask what I think?

Yes Bassman, you are a bit of an *** for reporting them, where I come from, for whatever reason, it's 'not done', period.

Where I come from it 'takes a certain kind of attitude' to be a snitch.

..but then again, I do understand the website was violating rules and we do not all think alike in different cultures.

Shawn · 08-01-2004, 03:39 PM

I would have done the same thing, then gone over there and clicked on the ads a couple hundred times

Seriously though, in business you did the right thing.

thebassman · 08-01-2004, 04:51 PM

Thanks for the replies... my motivation wasn't to "put them out of business" or anything, but since they run a similar site to mine, the ads displayed on their site would generally be the same ones shown on mine. If the CTR is artificially raised, it would cost the advertizers who use Adwords to cut their campaigns back, which would equal less ads shown on my site... know what I mean?

MadHatter · 08-01-2004, 05:57 PM

I would have done the same man... smash the losers!

thebassman · 08-01-2004, 06:34 PM

Thanks...

ferret77 · 08-01-2004, 07:07 PM

hey mad hatter are you part of HackeD By *NixDeviLS

becuse your jewlery site has thier name on front of it

awall19 · 08-01-2004, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferret77

hey mad hatter are you part of HackeD By *NixDeviLS

becuse your jewlery site has thier name on front of it

that really sucks

MadHatter · 08-02-2004, 01:28 AM

crap, thanks mate.... they are they most friendly hacking group around, because they make it real easy to restore... but my server is insecure, and I can't do anything about it.

I am moving to a new host soon, the one bassman uses for his forums.

bcombs · 08-02-2004, 10:20 AM

As someone who purchases a great deal of Google advertising, I think you did the right thing.

Brian

thebassman · 08-02-2004, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadHatter

crap, thanks mate.... they are they most friendly hacking group around, because they make it real easy to restore... but my server is insecure, and I can't do anything about it.

I am moving to a new host soon, the one bassman uses for his forums.

Good choice... www.realwebhost.net really is top notch.

Oh, and thanks bcombs.

I, Brian · 08-02-2004, 01:10 PM

Did you do the right thing? Well...it's a matter of either conscience or business.

To be honest though, as pointed out earlier, Google almost certainly would have noticed any artificial rise in the clockthrough rate for the site - they are certainly not stupid. Unlike your competitior.