Google is a company which prides it’s self on it’s ethics. It only gave the bare minimum information when ordered to and went out of it’s way to get Google in to China. So why is it that their Adsense side of the business seems to accept adverts from the dodgiest of companies? Just lately I have found myself constantly adding new urls to the blocked advert list of my Adsense acount. Several of the urls I have blocked all are just cloaking urls that all point to the same site. The program in question here is called Registry Cleaner Pro. They make wild claims in their adverts that their program fixes IE 8 and also fixes nearly every Windows error you could possibly encounter. I currently have about five urls on my blocked list that point to this company.
And then there are the companies who’s adverts offer to let you download Spybot for free. Errr SpyBot IS FREE!!! Just go to the official Spybot site at safer-networking.org and download it for free. The sites that post these adverts expect you to sign up to them which is not free and therefore their adverts, in my opinion, are illegal in most countries.
I’m more and more tempted to stop using Adsense if only I could find an affiliate company with some kind of ethics.
You can see my list of blocked domains after the break.
My blocked domains:
2009softwarereviews.com
activexfixer.org
adwarealert.com
cleanupurpc.com
free-software-uk.com
ie-internet-explorer.com
internet-explorer-cleaner.com
pc-authority.com
pcregistryrelief.com
pctuneuptips.com
registrycleanercompared.com
registrycleanercompared.org
registrycleanerhelp.org
registrycleanersexposed.com
search-destroy2009.com
spy-destroyer.com
spybot.search-destroy2009.com
spybotdownload.org
stop-sign.com
stopzilla.com
virusprotectioncompared.org
which-registry.com
zaperrors.com
Project Wonderful is a pretty decent alternative. You won’t make the money as quickly if your site doesn’t see a whole lot of traffic as it’s based on per-day bids instead of clicks, but you can approve and set a lot of other criteria for ads on your site.
Right now, I’m using a mix of the two AdSense and Project Wonderful on my site. I’ve had the same problems as you on my site, not only getting rid of annoying, scamming ads that I don’t recommend but also irrelevant ads. Why are wrinkle cream ads on a tech blog? I can only imagine this will get worse as ad revenues continue to decline.
Hope you find something. If you do, pass it on!
-Jason
[Translate]
Interesting. I once signed up with Bidvertiser but they only seemed to have a few advertisers at the time. I might give Project Wonderful a try as well as pass it on to a few friends of mine. I do think someone should inform Project Wonderful that there is also an ad blocker for IE7/8 though.
[Translate]
I am mystified as to why you should think the website cleanupurpc should be avoided. It is simply a review site of registry cleaners, and makes no absurd claims. I would appreciate your comment, and, preferably, the removal of the website from your “blocked” list. Additionally, this website has NEVER used Adsense, so I think you should do a little more research in future.
[Translate]
1 – If it’s in my list it’s obviously been displayed in Adsense on my site
2 – If, as you claim, they have never used Adsense why would you want me to remove it from my Adsense block list?
3 – All the links to the programs are just affiliate links meaning you get paid for each click which results in a sale which seriously makes me doubt the legitimacy of your reviews
4 – All of the programs you link to are paid for products.
If anyone wants a good FREE registry cleaner try Powertools Lite and you can read a review of it at Freeware Genius.
[Translate]
You specifically mention Registry Cleaner Pro as making wild claims. That may well be true, but we have never advocated use of their product(s), so I find it difficult to understand you accusations.
[Translate]
I explained my reasons in my reply to your previous comment.
[Translate]
i do not have any good experience with Bidvertiser, they pay lower than Adbrite so i do not use them on my website.`.-
[Translate]