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September 14, 2005

Click fraud, Wed., September 14, 2005, 2:50 PM

Here is what I now think happened to cause the biggest change to the number of my website/blog hits. It is most likely the change I made a couple weeks ago to first cut off all comments, and then to go to "Authorized only" comments. That basically blocked out all the automated comment spam.

My web host tells me that each piece of automated spam would actually fire off 3 page hits and file downloads. Since the type key authorization blocks that type of spam, my total number of (non-real) hits immediately decreased.

This is specifically why I have been writing so negatively about the Google (NDQ: GOOG) business model. I think the Google Adsense click fraud amounts to $$billions. And I think it's only a matter of time that advertisers who pay them start having second thoughts about the fees.

Like anybody, I appreciate high numbers. But if it's a phony number, why get excited? And why pay for anything that's phony?

I think the average person is getting a little sick and tired of the myths that exist today. Moreover, corporations that pay for fraudulent media advertising are themselves subject to potential litigation from shareholders for not doing the due diligence before spending shareholder money.

Posted by Posted by Bill Cara on September 14, 2005 02:50:53 PM | Category: 25 Cons Discretionary

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