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"Evil" Ad by Google

Michael Schaap [PersonRank 3]

Wednesday, February 21, 2007
17 years ago2,813 views

Just noted, on http://dictionarysearch.mozdev.org/ , an ad, just under the page title, that simply states:
   Organize your pictures. Get Google's photo software.

It's a Picasa referral, obviously. But there's nothing to distinguish it as an ad, only when you hover your mouse over it, a tooltip "Ads by Google" appears.

I thought it was against Google policy to have an ad that isn't clearly distinguishable? Is this Google going evil, or the site owner doing something he isn't supposed to do?

Tony Ruscoe [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

It's a standard text link referral ad. They're available to anyone who uses AdSense. It's a bit of an odd place to put it though. I wonder what click-through / conversion rates they get.

stefan2904 [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

a textlink-ad.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/397958818_c43e4c6030_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/150/397958815_338d5e05dd_o.jpg

Michael Schaap [PersonRank 3]

17 years ago #

Oh, okay. Still think it's evil, though. ;-)

webmaster@google-sux.com [PersonRank 0]

17 years ago #

Google is not GOING evil, Google has BEEN EVIL! Us Americans have made a Russian a $14 billionaire.

David Hetfield [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

yeah.. which earns 1 dollar a year..

stop crying about successful people..
Google is NOT evil, period!

Philipp Lenssen [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

I also don't like undisclosed ads. Doesn't Google usually add the disclosure themselves, removing the need for webmasters to do so?

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