Slashdot Mirror
Google's Fraud Squad Battles Phantom Clicks
An anonymous reader writes "It's an open secret that low cost workers in India, China and other countries are hired to boost traffic for online ads by clicking on text links, banners etc. Internet marketers facing high advertising fees on search networks like Google are becoming increasingly concerned about this form of online fraud. This problem has reached a critical stage and even Google recognizes that it has been the target of individuals and entities "using some of the most advanced spam techniques for years". A Google spokesperson said the company has "applied what we have learned with search to the click fraud problem and employed a dedicated team and proprietary technology to analyse clicks.""
1. Submit a story about the fraud website to /.. Thanks to the lame lameness filter, it makes its way as news. *ducks*
/.ers click on the link.
2. Zillions of
3. Profit!
Okay, agreed that the fraud website goes down for a while....
Simple, just block out all those clicks from the same companies in India and China, etc. There has got to be an obvious pattern in there somewhere that is easily discernible.
had dealt with this phantom menace instead of the other one.
I want to drag this out as long as possible. Bring me my protractor.
What they really means is "Microsoft can't have it for MSN! Nyah nyah!"
One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.