Google Adsense is a successful business model for publishers. It enables genuine content owners to monetize their content through ads served by the Adsense servers.
However, it appears that there is a proliferation of “Get Rich” schemes that are coming up across the globe which are becoming a source of concern.
Some of the schemes provide genuine services such as providing website templates or designing assistance for maximizing ad publications. Such services have a role to play and need to continue.
However, along with the genuine services there are many service offerings where the public are being lured into a membership of a scheme with a promise of “Monthly payments from Google” as if the servies are being used by Google. Such offerors collect some upfront money and use it for developing a website in the name of the member and placing adsense ads in these websites.
Most of these sites display content related to online casinos, pornographic stuff and other material which would attract a matching set of ads.
Though it is possible that these sites attract visitors and provide “Ad Views” and also provide occasional “Click Throughs” etc resulting in revenues flowing to the members in the form of cheques from Google, there is a need to spread a word of caution to those who subscribe to such memberships.
Firstly the member is providing authority express or implied to the service provider to create a website and place certain content there in for the purpose of generating some income for which he does not pt in any effort other than paying the membership fee. These are dummy sites with no real content and Google has every right to treat this as a “Fraud” on the Adsense scheme. It may stop payment and hence the member may lose the promised revenue.
Second and more dangerous aspect is that if the websites display content which are of pornographic type or promotion of legally banned online lotteries or say terrorist related information or distribute virus, then the responsibility for the illegal activity falls on the owner of the website.
I have therefore requested Google Adsense team to clarify on whether they recognize such schemes as “Frauds” and waiting for their reply.
In the meantime, I request Google to strengthen their system of clearing content owners for the purpose of ad sense eligibility and also take action against the service providers who are misusing the Google brand to collect money from the public under the above types of get-rich schemes.
Google needs to accredit genuine service providers who project their service fairly as “Template Creators” and” Advertising Agents”. But those who provide ready made website packages with content meant to take the adsense ads need to be dis accredited. For this purpose Google Adsense should display on the web a list of accredited and banned service providers so that public can use the services of the genuine service providers while avoiding others.
This caution posting has been placed in this forum for the special information of public in India where these schemes seem to be spreading like wild fire.
We have avoided providing the names of the specific service providers but those members of the public who have been lured for such memberships and not getting their payments may report to the undersigned through e-mail naavi@vsnl.com so that it may be brought to the notice of the larger sections of the public.
