DISQUS

Jason · 2 years ago

The "entire business model"? Rally? REALLY? you think creating a platform for click abuse is Google's main motivating factor? Really? Thats they their stock is so high-- because there is a potential for internet shenanigans? Huh.

___ · 2 years ago

It's AdWords, not AdSense.

ealdent · 2 years ago

I doubt this poses any real threat to Google. The fact is, it's just too damn boring hunting for ads and clicking them for this to be more than a fad. And let's assume it did hurt Google. It would also hurt all the people who host google ads on their sites. Care to watch your adsense revenues dry up? I'm looking at a big ass column of them on this page right now.

Drive A Faster Car · 2 years ago

It looks like it isn't serving as frequently though Romney is now. Ha.

talentshowdown.com · 2 years ago

pretty sure for any technology google creates its real sole purpose is to be evil.

Chris Garrett · 2 years ago

It's worth pointing out that you can actually limit your daily spend on adwords, so if he set a cap of £10/day, he'd easily avoid a bill of "thousands".

Kyle · 2 years ago

Stan, it looks like you just had your ass handed to you by better-informed commentors. Perhaps you will do your research next time.

Brian · 2 years ago

ealdent is a tool. I'm sure its real hard to google a term and click an ad. That sounds soooo laboring...

Jim · 2 years ago

I work as a web analyst for a small business.
This means I tinker in PPC ad campaigns pretty much continually.

Do the author of this article or the people intitially infatuated with this "campaign" have any idea how AdWords (or AdSense) even remotely work?

It's not terribly difficult to load up adwords.google.com before writing up a "genius" idea.

Advice Network · 2 years ago

Wow, what a horrible thing to do. Political discourse should be about ideas, not fraud. I'm no fan of Romney. I met him once, and I can't stand him, but that doesn't mean I'd resort to such low tactics. What are they thinking? This tactic can be used against Ron Paul or Obama as easily as it can against Romney. Do they think their immaturity won't come back to bite them on the ass?

AlexMerced · 2 years ago

why are you assuming us in the Ron Paul and Obama camps are doing this, I've been quite outspoken about taking the high road and most of us in the Ron Paul camp are the same. There has been the occasional misguided person, but trust us, most of us take the moral high road.

RonPaulForums.com you can see us discussing many of these issues. I mean if Romney might be involved in push-polling himself why can't other campaigns be involved with this.

RCT · 2 years ago

Maybe the Republicans can do CPA ads... Giuliani only has to pay if the visitor votes for him.

AlexMerced · 2 years ago

This is not googles problem, this an issue with an ad media. The difference between a valuable view and the opposite. Sure google should develop more options but I doubt click thrus will go away like how people still buy by impressions.

Google has the technology to offer options so when they do it'll be good, do you really doubt google is prepared for like... everything.

haha · 2 years ago

You spelled Barack Obama's name wrong, too.

Kyle · 2 years ago

Ok, so...

First, the point is that one can limit the amount they choose to spend, so any Digg effect is mitigated or at least limited.

Second, AdWords may indeed be Google's largest income stream - that's not what you said.

Third, I don't know what your reason was, but let's ignore it - you conflated two things that aren't the same.

Lastly, the point of my comment is that you, as someone who writes about this stuff, should be better informed and shouldn't be making these kinds of gaffes. Sorry, but it's true.

Esme Vos · 2 years ago

This is nothing new. Back in 2005 when my blog Muniwireless.com had Google ads, one particular ad stood out: from the Heartland Institute, an anti-muni wireless astroturf organization that got funding from telcos and were trying to block initiatives that would create more competition in the market for broadband services. They were supporting telco-sponsored state bills that would have prohibited communities from setting up their own broadband networks.

Anyway, several of my readers saw the Heartland Institute's ad and started clicking away. They got their friends to do the same. So basically, Muniwireless.com got Google ad dollars from the Heartland Institute which hates Muniwireless.

phineas C · 2 years ago

You want a troll comment? How's this...

This post is to blogging as etch and sketch is to art. Now shut up and give me my prize biaach!!!

:-)

note: it's actually a fine post but you asked for trolls - does that disclaimer mean I don't win? Well in that case - this post SUCKS ROCKS!! ...and so does Google.... erm... and so does Rudy Gulli - oh whatever.

Chris · 2 years ago

I would assume that some sort of "smart pricing" or some other pricing structure would kick in should an abnormal spike in clicks occur.

Of course, I'm sure political campaigns plan for these types of contingencies. I remember reading a special interest group's newsletter soliciting funds to pay for an Adwords campaign. They budgeted a daily limit and assumed that they'd hit their daily budget at a certain time in the day.

Any time there is some sort of political "threat" or "conspiracy" it means more money for whatever campaign is being "targeted."

I'm sure there are letters going out to supporters right now quoting the need to send in $1000 or $500 or $50 right now to battle the evil ad clickers who are trying to stop Rudy's message by busting the budget. They might pay a couple of cents for each ad click times 100 or 200 or even 1000, but might get several hundreds of thousands in campaign contributions from the loyal supporters hope to stand up to the "threat."

Maybe the Reddit comments about ad clicking are worth a couple of millions of dollars in fundraising ...