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Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

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Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#381

Post by lionkor »

stillpointlab wrote: post #76
akersten wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why are you subjecting yourself to that instead of downloading Firefox + uBlock origin? See the headline of this article for Exhibit (I've actually run out of letters in the alphabet) why adblocking is a moral imperative.

As much I love a good old "Why don't you just ..." response that terrifically misses the point - in this particular case I was watching YouTube through their Apple TV app. Now, there may be another "why don't you just ..." or "well, actually ..." response you have queued up, maybe some ramblings about a pi hole, or some anti-Apple hate, or some other solutioneering. Go ahead, tell me. But it is the structure of incen…

If you want creators to get paid, pay them (channel memberships, patreon, click on their sponsor links and buy something). No need to subject yourself to ads.

Ads don't just steal your time either, they invade your head. You are influenced by them and you have no choice as long as you watch them.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#382

Post by pampas »

collabs wrote: post #254

My opinion is that someone somewhere is paying for those ads and Google needs to get positive identification of a human being for any ad. Google has a near monopoly so there is no reason Google can't force this requirement arbitrarily. Once you have positive identification, suspend them pending further investigation if they serve any dodgy ad. I will be genuinely surprised if Google makes any money off of these dodgy…

Google as just as scammy as the scammers. For many years they manipulated auctions to capture more market share.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#383

Post by mrweasel »

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.

I've mentioned this hundreds of time in various context and forums: I do not believe that there's sufficient quality ad content to keep companies like Google or Meta running at their current levels. It doesn't make sense to me that the stores and manufactures selling physical goods are able to fund the entire tech industry.

They simply have to allow a certain number of sketchy ads, perhaps not outright scams, but they need to pimp some level of questionable products and services to keep the money printer running.

Geography certainly plays a roll, the smaller the market, the less advertisers are available. When I occasionally wanders into the ad supported internet without a tracker-blocker I get the same ads on repeat. It's my local supermarket, where I shop regardless, it's ads for vitamins and assistive devices for the elderly and plastic junk from China. That's it... honestly I can't see how that funds the tech gigants.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#384

Post by whstl »

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…

I have the same experience in one of our properties.

We have someone who's checking daily what's there, and they need to vet ads constantly.

It's a lot of anti-fungus advertisement (which made us block health products in general), but also a lot of fake software. Unfortunately we can't afford to block the entire software category.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#385

Post by psd1 »

1over137 wrote: post #337
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…

>They have been putting thousands of scam adverts on our website… Is it your website or theirs? YOU are the one putting such ads there as YOU have chosen a sketchy ad company (google).

Personally, I'd put twenty quid a month in a microtransaction wallet to cover hosting costs instead of ads, but that's not an option. I already pay for search.

I hate ad technology but it does, to a small extent, empower creators. Is there a better way? I don't think geocities is coming back.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#387

Post by cwillu »

acomjean wrote: post #312
cwillu wrote: post #290

Google itself serves similar ads for its own services in all its properties. I've been “critically low” on google storage space for several years now, and every google app prompts and notifies and nags about it on every launch.

I get those. To be fair they're asking for you to pay for some of the storage you are using for free. They have some tools to help clean up, but not enough... They'll keep nagging. I mean apple music/tv/icloud are always pinging me with "free 3 month subscriptions". MS is no better with the "lets finish setting up your pc with one drive..." to which the options are [yes/ remind me again later] I've moved mostly to li…

I do pay, for more than what I need. I have 40gb free of 200gb, and my usage patterns have changed such that I will never fill the remainder up.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#388

Post by cwillu »

genrader wrote: post #291
cwillu wrote: post #290

Google itself serves similar ads for its own services in all its properties. I've been “critically low” on google storage space for several years now, and every google app prompts and notifies and nags about it on every launch.

This is untrue and you have to be at least 80%

It is absolutely true, and above 80% leaves me with 40gb of empty capacity, which is so much excess headroom that I will simply never exhaust it.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#389

Post by Frieren »

1over137 wrote: post #337
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…

>They have been putting thousands of scam adverts on our website… Is it your website or theirs? YOU are the one putting such ads there as YOU have chosen a sketchy ad company (google).

Google is part of a cartel of ad companies. Most websites do not have any option left. To blame small companies for choosing big tech monopolies is unfair and solves nothing.

Strong regulations and splitting monopolies are the real solutions here.

And if Google breaks the law someone from the company needs to go to prison, too. Knowingly helping criminals is a crime itself.

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