Please remember that this post is obviously theoretical as you all know I dont have an Adsense account now (If you dont know that dont worry it doesnt affect this post)…. anyway…..

I dont think it was a repeat of anything serious but my ads will be off till I find why this fool was clikcing across so many ads – would all visitors please click once then F OFF!

As you will be aware I recently recieved a ban from the Adsense publisher program. So i would like to let everyone know the ways you can avoid the same fate as me.

Just a few quick notes on how a typical ban happens…

You will get an email out of the blue which will have obviously been automatically generated by Googles system as soon as your site has triggered some red flag.
From that point onwards you can forget about getting back into your account and so all the stats in there that would help you identify the problem for them are hidden from you.
You have chance to appeal and even if you submit log files and swear it cant have been you it WILL get denied, there are no further appeals after the first has failed.
All the balance that was sitting in the account at the time of the ban is also now gone, supposedly returned to the advertisers (That means the whole balance good clicks and suspect clicks alike).

So how can one avoid such a fate? Heres my top 10 tips on keeping your account alive: -

1. Dont place your ads on any site that will be visited by anyone who even thinks they know what clickfraud is
2. Never ever no matter how tempting share the url of one of your sites with anyone
3. Dont enter into revenue sharing or ad rotation deals with anyone
4. When testing ads or targetting etc do not use your own publisherID use someone elses. This isnt as nasty as it sounds simply use one at random or even better pick a site that obviously generates very high adsense income and use theirs, they wont get an auto ban from Google.
5. Make sure you only ever use one account on any one site, never mix the accounts
6. If you have more than one account make sure they are never mixed, do not even log in from the same pc to both accounts
7. Develop a system of disabling the adverts after a number of suspect clicks. Scripts like the free Adlogger system can do this for you and will help prevent the accidental user tripping a ban
8. Monitor your stats on a regular basis and swap out the ads at the slightest suggestion of horseplay
9. Make sure you can control the ad distribution from a simple central place so swapping out ads is quick and easy
10. This ones obvious but of course nobody should ever ever click on their own ads, I have seen people canned for just one click.

I know it seems like obvious advice but there are scenarios you just cant protect well against. If someone with intent tries to get you they will. You can try to prevent multiple clicks but if they simply proxy jump whilst clicking you youll get a ban no matter what you did to prevent it. Dont assume that the ‘Team’ over at Adsense will even talk to you let alone help.

Good luck people!

Ok so I have now receieved a response to my ‘appeal’ (Its in quotes for good reason…) and heres the response verbatim: -

“Hello Paul,
Thank you for your appeal.
After receiving your response, we re-reviewed your account data thoroughly. We have reconfirmed that invalid clicks were generated on the ads on your site in violation of our Terms and Conditions and programme policies.
https://www.google.com/adsense/terms
https://www.google.com/adsense/policies
We have implemented these policies to help ensure the effectiveness of Google ads for our publishers as well as our advertisers. According to our policy on this matter, we are unable to reinstate you into the programme. Please bear in mind that subsequent or duplicate appeals may not be considered and you may not receive any further communication from us.
We appreciate your understanding.
Sincerely,
The Google AdSense Team”

So….. I can now safely tell you what i really think….

The original email i recieved was obvioulsy autogenerated by their system after I had tripped it through a detection of multiple invalid clicks. Despite asking for confirmation of which site and what clicks I have been banned… They have absolutely no burden of proof on them to prove anything. I HAVE NEVER clicked on my own ads and like the majority of adsense publishers i am powerless to prevent a clickbombing attack (Even those of us with some protection based on IP cant stop a proxy hopping clickbot)

“In the event the Agreement is terminated, Google shall pay Your earned balance to You within approximately ninety (90) days after the end of the calendar month in which the Agreement is terminated by You (following Google’s receipt of Your written request, including by email, to terminate the Agreement) or by Google. In no event, however, shall Google make payments for any earned balance less than $10. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Google shall not be liable for any payment based on: (a) any amounts which result from invalid queries, invalid Referral Events, or invalid clicks or impressions on Ads generated by any person, bot, automated program or similar device, as reasonably determined by Google, including without limitation through any clicks or impressions (i) originating from Your IP addresses or computers under Your control, (ii) solicited by payment of money, false representation, or request for end users to click on Ads, or (iii) solicited by payment of money, false representation, or any illegal or otherwise invalid request for end users to complete Referral Events; (b) Ads or Referral Buttons delivered to end users whose browsers have JavaScript disabled; (c) Ads benefiting charitable organizations and other placeholder or transparent Ads that Google may deliver; (d) Google advertisements for its own products and/or services (excluding payments based on completed Referral Events); or (e) clicks co-mingled with a significant number of invalid clicks described in (a) above, or as a result of any breach of this Agreement by You for any applicable pay period. Google reserves the right to withhold payment or charge back Your account due to any of the foregoing or any breach of this Agreement by You, pending Google’s reasonable investigation of any of the foregoing or any breach of this Agreement by You, or in the event that an advertiser whose Ads are displayed in connection with Your Site(s) defaults on payment for such Ads to Google. In addition, if You are past due on any payment to Google in connection with any Google program (including without limitation the Google AdWords program), Google reserves the right to withhold payment until all outstanding payments have been made or to offset amounts owed to You in connection with the Program by amounts owed by You to Google”

Bits to note in here are that they say that they will only pay for valid clicks… fair enough so would I, however they have taken the entire balance of my account which inplies that all my clicks were invalid…. This is simple theft in my opinion, they have not proven any invalid clicks to me directly and I have never had any reason to think that I have been targetted by someone malicious before.

So it seems that Google can terminate you and withold your money without having to give any valid proof of wrongdoing and that all of us are at the mercy of Googles computerised detection system. It seems that even if you provide them with all your stats and information about your account all it takes is someone with a evil streak and a twitchy mouse clicking finger to rob you of your rightul earnings.

I shall be less friendly towards the Big G as a result and im afraid that the content eminating from me in their index will now be less subtle till I regain what I have lost…

Just to say it for the last time I HAVE NEVER CLICKED ON MY OWN ADS and I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE ANYONE HAS ANY REASON TO WRONGLY CLICK ON MY ADS EITHER.

Ps Matt…. You asked on Threadwatch who you will be tackling next? The answer is your unlikely to be winning in the next episode….

Its ok… lesson learnt – morals reduced…. build pending…..

I have to admit I have never really cared is anyone read my blog…. I do this just to keep me from insanity and as an outlet for my doodling habit….. (Hence 1 pic every 3 posts minimum)

However tonoght I checked my stats for the first time ever and WHOA!!! where the hell did all those people come from ??

Hi by the way – I am actually sure I dont know enough people for the numbers in there…

So suddenly I now feel obliged to post more and to post stuff thats actually useful… Thanks people more work for me LOL