Is “AdSense Hunting” Justified?

Google News ad appears if a search based on “Google” or “Business News” keyword is made.

    Google has two programs for displaying ads i.e., AdWords which shows the ad in response to user search results and AdSense, which places the ads on the user site (HP). AdSense displays the selected ad genres matching user’s HP from among Ad clients having an agreement with Google. Ad fee is paid to the HP publisher depending on the number of clicks made on his site. Nearly 40% of profit of Google comes from AdSense. However, HP publishers need not pay any registration fee.

Google decides that clicks were invalid

   Google suddenly deactivates the ad of a publisher if it adjudges it to be invalid. It does not give the publisher a chance for defense. The publisher finds one fine day on opening his HP that AdSense ad has been deactivated all of a sudden. This is so-called “AdSense Hunting”.

   The same thing happened to a man. He received an e-mail informing him about “cancellation of his account”.

   Actions that cause invalid clicks are not accepted regardless of the reason. Google e-mail read; Invalid clicks include but are not limited to any clicks that are manual clicks by a publisher on the publisher's own web pages, generated through the use of robots, and automated clicking tools, or using other software to click on his ads. Since the proviso “not limited to” is mentioned, it is Google which decides whether or not clicks were invalid.
   This man claimed that he did not recall having indulged in fake clicks. He added that there were days when there were too many clicks but he had not clicked himself. He complained that this means that someone has done this mischievously by design.

   Finding the fraudulent act becomes even more difficult if access has been made from multiple numbers of terminals. Another person who too had a similar experience points the finger back at Google claiming that Google too cannot say conclusively whether or not it was a fraudulent act. Editorial department of JINBN wanted to meet the Japanese representative of Google but received no reply.

20～35% of clicks on Internet advertisement are fraudulent?

   Since the income from ads varies depending on the number of clicks made, fraudulent clicks by publishers themselves to boost their income have come to light. In America, there was group lawsuit by the advertisers in February 05. It claimed that Google was improperly charging advertisers due to fake clicks. A gifts sales company and a private detective agency became the representatives of the plaintiffs and initiated proceedings in a local court in Ark. The accused included Google, Yahoo and Lycos. Google offered $ 90 million settlement in March 2006. Therein it said, “Google wants to settle all claims for refund by the advertisers, irrespective of when the fake clicks happened”.

   20～35% of all clicks on Internet ads are said to be fraudulent. However, the fact is that there is neither a clear-cut criterion to judge about fake clicks nor there is a third party organization to monitor it. Google went for peaceful settlement but it is passive about instituting a third party body in this regard. It is because it is afraid of its know-how getting leaked to its competitors. It may not be surprising if similar lawsuits are initiated against Google in the future too.

   If it is impossible for Google to confirm the fraudulent act even in AdSense type ads, it can be said that Google’s business model is faced with a serious crisis.