Banned from Google AdSense for no reason

[richardxthripp]

Does anyone know how I can appeal this and figure out why I was banned? I received this email from Google 30 minutes ago:

Hello,

We continually review all publishers according to our Terms and
Conditions and program policies, and we reserve the right to disable
publishers or sites that are not in compliance with our policies.

Our specialists have found that your account is not in compliance with
these program policies. As a result, we have disabled your account.

Google has certain policies in place that we believe will help ensure
the effectiveness of Google ads for our publishers as well as our
advertisers. We believe strongly in freedom of expression and therefore
offer broad access to content across the web without censoring results.
At the same time, we reserve the right to exercise editorial discretion
when it comes to the ads we display in our AdWords program and the
sites on which we choose to display them in our AdSense program, as
noted in our respective Terms and Conditions.

Thank you for your understanding.

Sincerely,

The Google AdSense Team

I submitted an appeal, but I had to say in the appeal that I didn't know the specific reason why I was banned. Last month I had 135,000 impressions and earned $430, and so far in Nov. 2011 I've had 35,000 impressions and earned $140. Are they going to cheat me out of my $570? What should I do??

[Aleksandar]

How do you expect anybody to help you if you don't provide any additional details? Basically, it's "got banned, don't know why, submitted an appeal, what now?".

Now you wait and hope they respond... Or think about your adventure with adsense and provide some more details about your site(s), recent activities (anything, from content updates to traffic purchasing etc.) and some of us might take a look and give you an opinion on what could've gone wrong.

Then you might contact them again, say honestly what you did wrong and hope none of them had a bad day before reading your email.

[richardxthripp]

I've been doing the same thing for the past 8 months and receiving Google checks every month, so it's really surprising that they would ban me now considering I haven't changed anything!

I display ads on my personal website. I also run a URL shortener called Th8.us and I display Google AdSense in an iFrame above the redirect page with a link to hide the ads. The service has over 21 million short URLs and makes about $150 per month from AdSense. I got the idea from About.com which does the same thing using Google AdSense ads.

I develop a WordPress plugin called Tweet This which includes the option "Insert Google AdSense ads to support Tweet This." If checked, this inserts ads with my publisher ID on the plugin user's blog. Last month, this made $143.

However, I have been doing both of these things for a long time. Tweet This has had the AdSense option since Feb. 2009, and it hasn't changed a bit. Why would they ban me now?

[Gerry]

Why would they ban me now?

Google has a unending list of rules on their TOS.

It may be an issue with your source of traffic or running scripts. Its really hard to say. And just because you've been running google since early spring does not mean you've been doing it right up to now. It means out of billions of web sites they have just recently gotten around to you. Or, someone turned you in.

[Aleksandar]

That's not important, 8 months is not "a lot of time", something you did few months ago might be illegal today.

Or it just might be that they needed more time to catch you.

Besides, they can't cut out everyone at the same time, so you continue to earn and spend the money, but it's only a matter of time when you're out. It depends on how heavily you're breaking the rules.

Plus, you can't compare About.com and yourself. Premium publishers can do a lot of things that you and I can't.

And I don't like the iframe/redirect idea at all:

"Google ads, search boxes or search results may not be:
Placed on any non-content-based page."

This is gray hat. Some of them get away with it, some don't.

Other than that, where's your privacy policy? It's required.

I'm sorry, but I think you're out because you either weren't familiar with the rules as much as you should be (my bet), or you didn't thought that they'd make any problems with what you did.

One of the biggest mistakes is placing your ads on someone else's site. Just think about that for a moment. Your ads might appear on hundreds of "illegal" pages over time and you might be safe now, but as people add your code around the web, the chance of finding your ads on illegal content pages increases significantly.

And you think that's ok? People can write about guns, drugs, pornography, cigarettes, alcohol or whatever else is considered "illegal" for standard publishers, there's no bargaining, since they implemented the option to not count clicks and impressions and use the "safe URL list", there's no excuse for finding your ads on those kinds of pages.

If you didn't noticed the new feature, that's your problem again, the rules clearly say you need to recheck occasionally and see what's changed.

Again, don't even think about "about.com" - some of the rules don't apply to premium publishers.

You see, earlier there was a problem when someone grabs your ID and intentionally puts it on "illegal" sites. You get banned and loose an income stream. The way to fix this issue, is to login, go to "adsense setup" and then "allowed sites". You didn't checked "only allow certain sites to show my ads" and you counted clicks and impressions from sites that you can't influence. You wanted this, it earned you money but didn't realized that there's always a chance of getting into trouble. I'm not saying that this has happened, I don't know, but it's very possible since you encouraged it. Theoretically, one illegal page with your ads on it (while crediting clicks and impressions to your account) is enough to get you out.

In the meantime, don't have any high hopes with adbrite. It's just not the same league.

I hope they reinstate you, but I think that you need to be honest with yourself, did you really review the rules and thought about them, or just took a quick look? You can't "play" like that, either you're in, or you're out (like now).

If you want to experiment with other types of "exotic" sites (like a URL shortener), you need to make sure that everything will be ok when you place the code and start earning.

Good luck!

[thinkingsmall]

Dont display your ads on sites where you have no control over the content or the activities thereof. Probably your plugin tripped you up, who knows what kind of sites it is showing up on ! Adsense is only for sites that are directly under your control and where you can provide the laboratory conditions that adsense demands.

By the way, with that kind of traffic you can easily make more money from sources other than adsense ! You could even sell adspace here on dnforum, and lot of folks would be interested, depending on what your niche is.

[richardxthripp]

Thanks for the replies, Dot Com, Aleksander, and thinkingsmall. I am familiar with most of the Google AdSense rules and do not have filters in place for pornographic URLs on the Th8.us URL shortener, but have observed that Google does not display any ads on these URLs which means the advertisement iFrame is left blank. The ads are all placed with the publisher's knowledge, and I accept opt-out requests for webmasters who don't want my ads on iFrames next to their sites.

The only possible red flag is that I modified the AdSense script. I added this JavaScript parameter: google_page_url = [$page_url]. This means all the Th8.us ads were targeted at the actual page, not my frameset page. I did not know that changing the JavaScript is forbidden.

Also, Google stopped serving ads on the th8.us domain in July 2010 so I have been serving the iFrame with the ads from a separate domain (daytonastate.org). And th8.us has been banned from the Google Search index for years.

I've been using Google AdSense since December 2007 and have not received any warnings until now. While it wasn't until February 2009 that I added the AdSense option to Tweet This and February 2010 that I added the ads to Th8.us, I've received the checks every month and my revenues from these two sources have been $3800. It looks like I may not be receiving the $570 I earned from Oct. 1, 2010 - Nov. 11, 2010. I can't even access my AdSense account or earnings history. It says "Account Disabled."

Google hasn't answered my emails or phone calls yet. I replied directly to their email from adsense-support at google dot com, I send in an appeal on their website, and I left a message on their general mailbox at Google Atlanta (extension #123). It's very hard to get in touch with anyone by phone. I made sure to emphasize that I am concerned about being paid the revenue that is owed to me rather than complaining about the banning. Since Google has not indicated invalid clicks and I don't click my ads or encourage others to click my ads, this probably isn't the issue.

I would really like to continue using Google AdSense, even if I have to stop displaying ads on the websites of other people. Since I've made about $5000 and their revenue share is 32%, they've made at least $1600 having me as a client. Maybe that will help my appeal.



EDIT: Also, I've never had a privacy policy. I didn't think I needed one since I don't collect any personal information besides whatever my server records.

[Aleksandar]

Well there you go, now you know... There's actually quite a few things you shouldn't do, so it's not "for no reason", you just think it is.

A reminder:

1. Never display ads on sites other than yours (exceptional in some occasions, but the general rule is to stay out of this).

2. Never modify the code (this is one of the first things you read about at their user center).

3. Never use iframes, redirects, pop-ups, emails to embed ads, or some paid traffic (PTC - paid to click - forbidden).

4. Always include a well written privacy policy. You do collect private information, and you do need to let know your visitors about google ads, double click dart cookie technology and other stuff that goes there.

5. Do not post screenshots in public, if you really want to show off, at least blur the CTR, clicks and other info except your overall revenue. Posting screenshots in public is also forbidden.

6. They are not obligated to pay you anything "you've earned". Those are the rules you agreed upon and that's the way it is... You get banned, they keep the money. I'd rather get myself re-instated and reject that unpaid amount, than keep it and don't get re-instated. It's not worth it on the short run, you keep that money and you loose a nice income stream. You let go of the money and you earn it back within few months and get to earn much more along the way.

7. Always think on the long run.

8. Make sure you read the adsense blog, keep track of policy changes, user feedback (forums for example), ask questions when in doubt, and review the content quality guidelines, design guidelines or whatever guidelines are available over at google.

[richardxthripp]

Then why did they not give a reason in the email?

Let's say you are fired for a job at the end of your pay period. Is it okay for your employer to not pay your back wages?

[Aleksandar]

Because they don't have to give you a reason. You agreed to the terms, they can do whatever they want. They don't have to pay you a single $1, they don't have to give you a single reason if they feel like kicking you out. Read the terms before you agree to anything.

https://www.google.com/adsense/localized-terms

https://www.google.com/adsense/suppo...n&answer=48182

http://adsense.blogspot.com/

Have a nice read if you get reinstated.

Let's say you are fired for a job at the end of your pay period. Is it okay for your employer to not pay your back wages?

It doesn't work like that, you're not a google employee.

[Gerry]

Then why did they not give a reason in the email?

Let's say you are fired for a job at the end of your pay period. Is it okay for your employer to not pay your back wages?

They did give you a reason...you violated their TOS.

As for "back wages", if you made the money illegally or suspiciously then they are not obligated to pay you funds.

They are not your "employer". You agreed to conduct business according to their Terms of Service.

[richardxthripp]

Well, I'm an "independent contractor," so I guess they could say I did not deliver a product that was up to their specifications, so they are immune from paying me. But there's no redress. I can only hope they follow the "don't be evil" motto.

My statement that I was "banned for no reason" is accurate. They didn't give me a reason. Sure, there are plenty of potential reasons, but they didn't list any.

[Gerry]

My statement that I was "banned for no reason" is accurate. They didn't give me a reason. Sure, there are plenty of potential reasons, but they didn't list any.

your account is not in compliance with
these program policies.

You're really begging if you think you are going to get more of a reason than this.

[richardxthripp]

I'm not one of those low-profile publishers that takes a year to cross the $100 threshold. I've been receiving a check in the mail every month for over a year, and Google has made plenty of money on me. I deserve a better explanation. Most people get a reason like "invalid clicks" or "inappropriate content," not what I got.

[Aleksandar]

You should read the whole deal:

https://www.google.com/adsense/terms

It won't take you longer than half an hour. What you deserve or not is irelevant. You agreed not to deserve anything.

You'll realize that there's not much to discuss about your termination.

Now you know you did some stuff that you shouldn't, soon you'll realize that there's nothing you can do, except to stay on the good side and hope for the best. Later if you get re-instated, make sure you read every single word you can. Even if you're not a low profile publisher, doesn't matter, adwords makes them money, if advertisers are not happy, they stop spending and everybody loses.You can earn $1000 a day or $100 a month, it's still the same. If you do something wrong, you're going out.

Besides, the policies don't change everyday, and when they do, it's nothing much to whine about. If you play on the long run, you'll mostly find that there's not much to worry about. Read their blog, they announce everything there.

Even if you find yourself doing something that's been legal recently, you won't get penalized right away, they give you time to fix issues. Like when they said you can't put any misleading images aligned with ads, I'm sure they gave some time to geniuses who thought about this first, to correct it. So you can see, they try to keep everyone happy, but it's simply not possible.

[richardxthripp]

Well they didn't "give me time to fix issues." They never brought up the issues. They just banned me out of the blue. If they would have gave me advanced warning, I would have changed my ad placement even if it significantly reduced my income. But they gave no warning.

I don't just make $100 per month. I make $400 per month.

No offense, but you sound like a Google fanboy. Does it make you feel important to side with big corporations?

[Aleksandar]

You're missing my point... Nevermind...

No offense

Non taken.

Does it make you feel important to side with big corporations?

Nope, the only thing that makes me feel important is my wife and my two daughters.

[richardxthripp]

Well, I've already switched to AdBrite. I know I'm going to lose a lot of money, but at least I have plenty saved... Don't trust Google! If they don't have a legit reason to ban you, they'll make something up. There are reports of this all the time.

[Gerry]

Well they didn't "give me time to fix issues." They never brought up the issues. They just banned me out of the blue. If they would have gave me advanced warning, I would have changed my ad placement even if it significantly reduced my income. But they gave no warning.

I don't just make $100 per month. I make $400 per month.

No offense, but you sound like a Google fanboy. Does it make you feel important to side with big corporations?

Whaaaa? What did I do? Whaaaaa?

If you are caught speeding doing 91mph in a 55mph zone, do you really think you need an explanation as to why you are being pulled over?

And if you go to traffic court to contest the ticket, do you think saying, "I wasn't given time to fix the issue...by slowing down", do you think that will get the ticket thrown out and you license reinstated?

Honestly, I think your publishing the email then our (members) suspicion of tweaking scripts followed by your own admission of tweaking scripts should be enough for anyone to say...

hammer
nail
coffin
dead and buried.

[richardxthripp]

You are comparing this to driving 36 miles over the speed limit? Really? That's like comparing an pest exterminator to an axe-murderer. I really don't think this is "dead and buried." In fact, I'm looking forward to receiving a reply to my appeal.