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Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

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Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#371

Post by dspillett »

mastermage wrote: post #366
dspillett wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but not so well with AI revenue Nobody is doing well enough with AI revenue ATM ( https://isaiprofitable.com/ ). At the moment it is probably more about market share of users, that is where the investment capital will need to be clawed back from when it starts to be called back (or replacement money will need to come from if the investment cycle simply stops giving generously).

except for NVIDIA

And, perhaps to a lesser extent, other relevant hardware companies. In a gold rush the shovel makers always do well.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#373

Post by anilakar »

We have had end users scammed because Android QR code readers show scammy "pay now" ads. We do not support online payment but that does not prevent non-technical people from clicking large UI element-like ads and entering their credit card information on nondescript online payment pages.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#374

Post by dspillett »

Gareth321 wrote: post #361
dspillett wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but not so well with AI revenue Nobody is doing well enough with AI revenue ATM ( https://isaiprofitable.com/ ). At the moment it is probably more about market share of users, that is where the investment capital will need to be clawed back from when it starts to be called back (or replacement money will need to come from if the investment cycle simply stops giving generously).

While true, Google is particularly vulnerable to AI disrupting the traditional internet ad model. They have to figure out how to make AI profitable or Google will suffer catastrophic revenue, profit, and stock price declines in short order.

Can they not just do what they expected sites to do when their search results started including key extracts from sites, significantly reducing click-throughs to news pages and such?

[couldn't resist the snark, I don't exactly feel sorry for them here!]

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#375

Post by NietTim »

Because it makes them money and for some reason people (and governments) have accepted their lie that they can't police this. Comparison to the olden days; if a paper magazine knowingly allowed scammers to advertise they 110% would've been prosecuted. It is really weird that we let google (and others suchs as meta!) get away with this.

Some comments make it seem like this is a new thing, it's not, this has been going on for at least 10 years now.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#376

Post by philipallstar »

MASNeo wrote: post #209
guelo wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is the scummy adsense ads don't hurt Google's reputation. Outside the techie crowd people don't know the ads are from Google.

Calls from law enforcement is laud and clear: BigTech is not doing enough to fight fraud, war and other crimes, they make money from criminals. Nobody’s yet cared enough to sue them, or their managers at ICC yet. However, eventually an ambitious lawyer will try to make the case, especially if fraud and human trafficking continues to grow like it is.

VW makes money from criminals. So does Verizon. So does Coke.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#377

Post by Gareth321 »

dspillett wrote: post #374
Gareth321 wrote: post #361

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While true, Google is particularly vulnerable to AI disrupting the traditional internet ad model. They have to figure out how to make AI profitable or Google will suffer catastrophic revenue, profit, and stock price declines in short order.

Can they not just do what they expected sites to do when their search results started including key extracts from sites, significantly reducing click-throughs to news pages and such? [couldn't resist the snark, I don't exactly feel sorry for them here!]

It is, as you imply, poetic justice.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#379

Post by pampas »

Jskewel wrote: post #122

Adsense has been a nightmare for us. They have been putting thousands of scam adverts on our website for some time. Think "you have been looking at xxx and must pay a $100 fine" type popup nonsense. Hosted on the following websites: azurestaticapps.net azurewebsites.net herokuapp.com ondigitalocean.app digitaloceanspaces.com netlify.app Google doesn't allow you to block these domains, because they consider them "TLDs…

As a publisher it really sucks. The DSPs must know these ads are shit. It would be trivial to filter them with a bit of AI.

I've asked my Google partnered SSP to disallow ethically bankrupt ads like gambling, alcohol etc. They say "we've asked the partners to block those categories"... and then it just keeps happening. They're either unable or unwilling to help. I had to take ads down for several days at my own expense due to rogue ads. The ads are now in safe frames which doesn't pay quite as well but I'm okay with it.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#380

Post by lionkor »

sippingabonedry wrote: post #14

Because serving dodgy ads pays them a lot of money. The pivot is complete. 90% of the ads I see on YouTube are obvious scams. Many from untraceable shady overseas organizations. You can see the data if you report them. It's always some unheard of outfit out of Hong Kong or Brazil. I want to know who is funding this. You don't need to be Kreskin to figure this one out.

Who's funding this? The people getting scammed, usually.
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