I think that you have every right to ban Google ads on your own computer, but I don't think that you fully appreciate the beauty that lies within their system. Google displays ads on my pages that are relevant to the subject of my site. Because the ads are relevant to something people are already looking for info on, they are much more likely to click on an ad. When they do this, EVERYBODY WINS! The site visitor wins because they find information on a product they were looking for anyway, and they are not obligated to make a purchase. The advertiser wins because they not only get a hit to their site, but it is a hit from someone who was already looking for information related to what they sell. The publisher wins because they get a cut of the profit. Google wins because they get a cut. Few other ad companies can compete, because their ads aren't relevant! Yahoo tries to compete -- but I have been in their beta ad system for a year; They pay much more per click than Google, but the click through rate is so small because of ad (non)relevancy that we still make more with Google!
I believe a more appropriate definition of "fraudulent click" is a click that is only for the purpose of costing the advertiser money or making the publisher money (or getting a publisher in trouble). Google is only attempting to not count fraudulent and accidental clicks against the advertiser. Your definition is not Google's definition and I have heard nothing about an attempt to sue people who have accidentally clicked on an ad. I don't believe there is any law that says you have to intend to buy a product - but you should have an genuine interest in an ad if you click on it on purpose. Your bad intent can really only be shown if you are clearly clicking on a ridiculous number of ads than any honest person would, or clicking on ads that are on a website you own. Many people click on ads accidentally once in awhile, but how many make that mistake a hundred or more times per day? At some point this type of activity does become criminal, but to be worried that you are going to go to jail for one slip of your pointer finger is simply ridiculous.
Slashdot Mirror
I think that you have every right to ban Google ads on your own computer, but I don't think that you fully appreciate the beauty that lies within their system. Google displays ads on my pages that are relevant to the subject of my site. Because the ads are relevant to something people are already looking for info on, they are much more likely to click on an ad. When they do this, EVERYBODY WINS! The site visitor wins because they find information on a product they were looking for anyway, and they are not obligated to make a purchase. The advertiser wins because they not only get a hit to their site, but it is a hit from someone who was already looking for information related to what they sell. The publisher wins because they get a cut of the profit. Google wins because they get a cut. Few other ad companies can compete, because their ads aren't relevant! Yahoo tries to compete -- but I have been in their beta ad system for a year; They pay much more per click than Google, but the click through rate is so small because of ad (non)relevancy that we still make more with Google! I believe a more appropriate definition of "fraudulent click" is a click that is only for the purpose of costing the advertiser money or making the publisher money (or getting a publisher in trouble). Google is only attempting to not count fraudulent and accidental clicks against the advertiser. Your definition is not Google's definition and I have heard nothing about an attempt to sue people who have accidentally clicked on an ad. I don't believe there is any law that says you have to intend to buy a product - but you should have an genuine interest in an ad if you click on it on purpose. Your bad intent can really only be shown if you are clearly clicking on a ridiculous number of ads than any honest person would, or clicking on ads that are on a website you own. Many people click on ads accidentally once in awhile, but how many make that mistake a hundred or more times per day? At some point this type of activity does become criminal, but to be worried that you are going to go to jail for one slip of your pointer finger is simply ridiculous.