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Google Ads suspended me and turned a deaf ear

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Re: Google Ads suspended me and turned a deaf ear

#161

Post by hackerfromthefu »

tomcam wrote: post #146
f1refly wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Just get you issue to the front page of hacker news, if you can't make it fuck off" is not a valid support strategy for one of the biggest corporations in the worls

Would you prefer nothing to happen? In the real world, we have two bad choices: either google ignores it completely, which I’m certainly not defending, or some of its employees try to make good. Why punish people for doing the right thing? Of course I think their support is generally reprehensible. But we don’t have a third choice right now, so these employees taking initiative seems like a win.

What you are describing is the problem. Both your options are terrible. This needs regulating.

Re: Google Ads suspended me and turned a deaf ear

#162

Post by hackerfromthefu »

rnk wrote: post #131
tomcam wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I applaud Googlers who try to do the right thing and I don't understand why a random person on HN should dis them for it.

It would be better if that googler or google itself recognized that having lots of automatic switches that destroy businesses, or people's email access or other things with no recourse is unacceptable and worked on that. Google should have an ombudsman or office that deals with these issues. I'm sure there would be lots of fraudulent claims. But there would be lots that were not. Please google let people pay to speak…

Please government regulate these monopolies.

Re: Google Ads suspended me and turned a deaf ear

#163

Post by gdulli »

Razengan wrote: post #138

The advertising industry is a cancer upon human civilization and should be abolished. Literally no one is going to speak out in favor of this plague except the people whose livelihoods depend upon perpetuating it. Not even hyperbole: Ask anyone if ads are annoying or not. Unless they’re making money from ads, the answer will be Yes.

Usually I mute TV commercials, but one time I had them on and I found out from a commercial that Nightmares on Wax was coming to my town soon.

I had no idea, I don't follow music news. But I bought tickets immediately. I love them and I'd never seen them live before.

It was one of the best concerts I've ever been to. And I'd have missed it without advertising.

This is an outlier experience, but it shows that advertising can be a positive when it's not perverted by all of the things that currently make it terrible.

Sometimes there's a gap in our knowledge of what products, services, events are available. I can remain skeptical of the specific claims made in ads while benefitting from finding out, oh, there's a new pizza place near me, I should try it.

Ads are more annoying than useful, and tracking me needs to stop. But as usual, the most extremist view (positive or negative) is not the most useful one.

Re: Google Ads suspended me and turned a deaf ear

#164

Post by Razengan »

gdulli wrote: post #163
Razengan wrote: post #138

The advertising industry is a cancer upon human civilization and should be abolished. Literally no one is going to speak out in favor of this plague except the people whose livelihoods depend upon perpetuating it. Not even hyperbole: Ask anyone if ads are annoying or not. Unless they’re making money from ads, the answer will be Yes.

Usually I mute TV commercials, but one time I had them on and I found out from a commercial that Nightmares on Wax was coming to my town soon. I had no idea, I don't follow music news. But I bought tickets immediately. I love them and I'd never seen them live before. It was one of the best concerts I've ever been to. And I'd have missed it without advertising. This is an outlier experience, but it shows that advertis…

So one time it was useful to you out of all the time you have lost to ads so far.

Re: Google Ads suspended me and turned a deaf ear

#165

Post by Razengan »

fshbbdssbbgdd wrote: post #148
chowells wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you think your new product deserves customer awareness? Why is it so important to impose yourself upon the awareness of others? How is doing that with a goal of acquiring money even slightly morally acceptable?

If I figured out how to do something for $1 and it provides $3 worth of utility, how is it immoral to pay some money to inform people so they can get that $2 of extra utility in their lives by making that trade? As far as I’m concerned, stopping me from running that ad is morally equivalent to destroying the mail sorting machines at USPS.

It is immoral and asshole’ish of you to waste my time and resources (bandwidth, physical space etc.) without my consent.

Tell me: Why is “spam” considered undesirable? Would you disable the spam filter of your email etc.?

All advertisement is spam, just that the ads we see have paid to be not counted as spam.

Re: Google Ads suspended me and turned a deaf ear

#166

Post by registeredcorn »

registeredcorn wrote: post #119
jefftk wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry, are you saying that it is common for people to bribe insiders to bypass policy and hurt their competitors? This is the first time I've heard a story like this.

It's difficult to tell if you are being sarcastic or not.

To the persons voting my comment into the dirt, I was being sincere.

If you really have never heard of this type of thing occurring, then you are either willfully ignorant, or completely separated from the reality of how business is conducted with Google. I don't say this with malice, but with plain honesty. This is a fundamental part of how the interaction with Google works. To deny this so plainly can only make any sort of sense through sarcasm.

Re: Google Ads suspended me and turned a deaf ear

#167

Post by gdulli »

Razengan wrote: post #164
gdulli wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Usually I mute TV commercials, but one time I had them on and I found out from a commercial that Nightmares on Wax was coming to my town soon. I had no idea, I don't follow music news. But I bought tickets immediately. I love them and I'd never seen them live before. It was one of the best concerts I've ever been to. And I'd have missed it without advertising. This is an outlier experience, but it shows that advertis…

So one time it was useful to you out of all the time you have lost to ads so far.

No, that's just the only anecdote I told. But the experience of going to one great concert makes up for a year's worth of ad impressions that I ignored and did me no material harm.

Re: Google Ads suspended me and turned a deaf ear

#168

Post by dollar »

jefftk wrote: post #47
dollar wrote: post #28

The biggest indicator of a monopoly is when they can treat customers like garbage and keep doing business anyway. Google suspended the Ads account of our largest agency client ($20,000 per day) with no explanation other than a vague “policy violation”. They steadfastly refused to explain how the policy was violated or what we could do to come into compliance. We contacted attorneys, wrote letters to Google executives…

> their old agency paid off a Google insider to flag our client’s account resulting in suspension That's extremely serious. If you wanted to share details with me I can raise the issue internally; my email is in my profile. (Speaking only for myself)

I sincerely appreciate the offer. This problem is too “cold” to resurrect today, and far too late for our business. I would be glad to know that Google is taking steps to ensure this cannot happen in the future.

Specifically:

* When an Ads account is suspended it can be devastating to the business or the Google partner. We should have the opportunity to speak with human beings, to bring forth evidence to the contrary, and to escalate within Google instead of with attorneys.

* The vast majority of businesses and agencies simply want to follow Google policies to the letter. Unfortunately the letter of policy is often ambiguous or unclear. When a policy violation is alleged, particularly against long standing and high dollar Ads accounts, there should be a presumption of innocence. Google should explain clearly and directly what is needed to remedy policy violations instead of playing security through obscurity and “guess what I want” games.

* At the end of our time as a Google partner, the automation had become unbearable. We spent 90% of our time resubmitting Ads and campaigns that were suspended or halted for no apparent or clear reason, analogous to advertisement “whack a mole”. Imagine literally any other outlet treating advertisers this way. For example, imagine Viacom suspending a nationwide ad campaign without a word of explanation. Imagine The New York Times pulling an ad without so much as a call or email. It’s patently absurd.

Re: Google Ads suspended me and turned a deaf ear

#169

Post by jefftk »

dollar wrote: post #168
jefftk wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> their old agency paid off a Google insider to flag our client’s account resulting in suspension That's extremely serious. If you wanted to share details with me I can raise the issue internally; my email is in my profile. (Speaking only for myself)

I sincerely appreciate the offer. This problem is too “cold” to resurrect today, and far too late for our business. I would be glad to know that Google is taking steps to ensure this cannot happen in the future. Specifically: * When an Ads account is suspended it can be devastating to the business or the Google partner. We should have the opportunity to speak with human beings, to bring forth evidence to the contrary…

> This problem is too “cold” to resurrect today

How long ago was it? It may not be...

Re: Google Ads suspended me and turned a deaf ear

#170

Post by voakbasda »

todayisfriday wrote: post #24

Stories like this seem to pop up semi-frequently on HN. So I'm wondering -- has anyone tried to sue Google, perhaps in small claims court (for U.S. residents)? Surely that would at least compel an actual human to address the account closure, ban, etc. I am assuming there are legal or financial reasons this approach is unwise?

The Google lawyers will show up and grind your soul into a fine powder.
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