The Google Adsense policies state that we can't place Adsense on any sites with adult content. Fair enough, I can respect that. However, Google then turns around and allows such sites to advertise via Adwords as seen here. As we all know, the porn industry on the internet is HUGE. However, Google monopolizes it by not allowing content publishers to have Adsense ads on their sites, which would create revenue dilution; Google keeps every penny for themselves. Adult content is searched for millions and millions of times a day on Google, and they keep every penny of revenue for themselves. We drive traffic to Google and make them a household name with normal content and they cash in on the adult industry which accounts for a massive amount of the world's daily internet traffic. Is this extremely hypocritical and borderline unethical or am I missing something here?
No, you're not missing anything: Yes, it is extremely hypocritical and borderline unethical. It's their trainset and their rules.
everyone is equal but some are more equal than the others? - George Orwell, that's unethical... policies should be global, within the organization and outside...
they only allow adult ads around in the SERPS results........ why shouldn't they?, when you perform an adult related search it still takes computing power, electricity, servers and employees to maintain them.....they have bills to pay and are obligated to shareholders........ I don't get the reasoning here....no matter how much money publishers would make from adults ads.....Google stands to make a WHOLE LOT MORE........They are trying to protect their image and advertisers who don't want their ads showing on porn sites....
Actually there has been several reports of adult content creeping into regular AdSense for content ad units. More discussion at SE Roundtable and Webmaster World.
I don't get ads for cars on my medical site. I don't get ads for computers on my sports site. Why should I get anything but adult ads on my adult site? Google has content relevant ads. But no, they keep those millions and millions of ads and dollars for themselves and let us fight it out for the ever diluting share of normal advertisement revenue. It's quite a scheme they have going. If they don't want to let adult content publishers have ads on their sites because boobs are evil, that's fine. But don't turn around and take money from those same people and let them advertise in the results of your search engine.
I have a stupid video site, one ad on the adsense skyscraper was titled 'masturbation videos'. Now I couldn't develop a site that included masturbation videos and add adsense could I?
No, because masturbation is evil and kills kittens. But, shhhhhh, feel free to give us money and we'll advertise your site for you in our search engine. I'd be fine having to check a big box when signing up for Adsense that said, "There is adult content on my site which is evil according to 93% of the world (when polled by www.mormonsagainstevilbreasts.com) but 96% of the world searches for porn so let's all make some money off of it ok?" so that Google knows for sure not to display normal ads for things like cars which lead to global warming which will kill us all. Joking aside, it's very simple. If you don't allow some sites to use your services, you don't turn around and take money from those same sites.
Does it? I've never tried masturbating a kitten, but I'll take your word for it Less wrist action I think.
Sorry Guys but Google has it right. If I was an adult advertiser I would not want my ads running on the content network, period. With no control over the site my ads get displayed on in an industry ripe with fraud, click fraud, child porn, beastiality and other dubious moral issues that don't quite match my version of whats ok for adult content. Same goes for Google. They don't want the ads running there either. It's not about the money, if it was they would be happy to have them run on the content network. More clicks is more money for everyone, Google and publishers. No need to piss and moan about it, there are other PPC networks that run adult ads on adult sites. But again as an advertiser their not so great. Even Adbrite is ripe with shitty sites that deliver even shittier traffic. That's why that market is so cheap.
"Why can Google profit off of adult content but we can't?" Finally you realized G also has very private personal hobbies. : )