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Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

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Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#411

Post by StilesCrisis »

blargey wrote: post #145
StilesCrisis wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not like they'll run out of ads to show anyway. If they take this ad down, they'll just show a different one?

Ad slots are auctioned. Scams getting shown means scammers are bidding more for those same slots than legitimate advertisers.

I'm actually aware of that and know that you're right. At the same time, I can't help but think that the market response will be for someone else to bid up and capture the slot either way. And if Google would rather serve those ads than enforce their own policies, they could always just loosen the policy.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#413

Post by gwbas1c »

I had a similar thing happen on LinkedIn: For awhile I was getting a lot of recruiters that had an enticing job description, and when I responded, they just wanted me to join a job board. (There was no position.)

When I reported them, they said the recruiters didn't violate LinkedIn's policy. (But they somehow stopped anyway. I guess LinkedIn actually listens to its customers.)

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#414

Post by gpvos »

anon48293 wrote: post #339
Fnoord wrote: post #206

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Only my kids use the TV to watch YouTube, and in order to protect them from ads (it is illegal to advertise to children in my country), I block the ads using SmartTube which includes SponsorBlock. Since such is also advertising. Google is a rotten to the core company who's purpose is whitewashing scams and spying on private eyes. Whenever Google talks about 'security' I need to keep in mind their snake tongue definit…

In case you weren’t aware: “ My development environment was infected by unknown malicious software, as a result of which a few builds may have been affected. Once the issue was detected, I secured everything with a full disk wipe, restored a clean setup, and now all builds are scanned with VirusTotal. The F-Droid version will also be verified before release. Public keys may have been compromised, which is why I am sh…

What does that refer to?

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#415

Post by bluGill »

Frieren wrote: post #389
1over137 wrote: post #337

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>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.

Huh? You have options? Tiny radio stations of 30 years ago all had their own ad department with a salesman who's job was to find advertisers. Most website shave enough reach to fund the own ads.

Also, if you along are not big enough, it was common to join with others (beware of anti-trust laws). You only need a few websites on your new less dodgy ad platforms and those who want to advertise will run to you because you control impressions. You probably won't get as rich as Google running a new ad company, but there is plenty of money to make a nice living selling non-dodgy ads.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#416

Post by anon48293 »

gpvos wrote: post #414
anon48293 wrote: post #339

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In case you weren’t aware: “ My development environment was infected by unknown malicious software, as a result of which a few builds may have been affected. Once the issue was detected, I secured everything with a full disk wipe, restored a clean setup, and now all builds are scanned with VirusTotal. The F-Droid version will also be verified before release. Public keys may have been compromised, which is why I am sh…

What does that refer to?

Comment from the developer of the smartube the person I replied to said he used.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#417

Post by lazyant »

HomeDeLaPot wrote: post #107

Every YouTube ad I see now is an AI-generated scam ad hawking everything from free electricity to anti-aging products to birdhouses hand-carved by an AI-generated senior citizen. I've seen some multiple times, days or weeks apart. Their advertising standards are a complete joke.

I've seen ads using famous people (as in a Prime Minister) to sell whatever faking the whole thing, how is that even legal

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#418

Post by account42 »

Frieren wrote: post #389
1over137 wrote: post #337

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>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.

You don't have to make it your business model to sell people's attention to those wanting to manipulate them.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#419

Post by hobo123 »

snailmailman wrote: post #25

Google can reply and confirm whether or not a report did anything? I’ve never seen that. I report ads on YouTube all the time. I’ve reported ads for illegal drugs, illegal firearms, pornography, and all sorts of various scams. I’ve seen similar advertising to the example in this article, mimicking the phone’s UI. Ive reported them. I’ve never once seen Google reply to any of my reports to confirm what happened. I’ve…

Maybe reporting is the right idea, but Google the wrong target to complain to.

Maybe we should report obvious fraud or illegal content to the authorities.

Re: Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?

#420

Post by mschuster91 »

BLKNSLVR wrote: post #277
mschuster91 wrote: post #49

Google doesn't care because they figured out no one will hold them accountable any more. The US regulatory authorities DGAF ever since Lina Khan exited the picture and the EU regulatory authorities might have the legal basis to hold Big AdTech accountable, but the EU is at the moment busy trying to fend off BS from the Trump admin, they do not have time and risk appetite (aka Trump retaliating on behalf of Big AdTech…

I look forward to any country putting forward very heavy advertising regulation as a proxy for the tax avoidance schemes they all use.

Won't happen. Trump is already busy threatening us for DSA - if we open up the can of worms that is tax evasion by global megacorps, it might not just invite further childish tariff wars, it might threaten our own global megacorps (especially our car, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, as well as banks and insurances) as well because they also want to save taxes wherever they can.
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