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Trick to avoid clicking on your own Ads

Discussion in 'Guidelines / Compliance' started by CrazyBoy, Dec 13, 2005.

  1. #1
    Hey I found this information useful so I am posting it here:

    There have been whole AdSense accounts bringing in $5000 per
    month banned for life from Google because of fraudulent
    clicks. If Google catches you clicking on your own AdSense
    ads, they can shut you down.

    Luckily there's an easy way to keep from accidentally
    clicking your OWN AdSense ads.

    You won't get canned just for a single click, but if you're
    like me and tweak your site a lot it's only a matter of time
    before you click on one of those things by accident.

    The way I keep this from happening is I temporarily block
    the domain name Google's ads are served from. Once I'm
    finished editing my site I go back under the hood and turn
    it back on.

    Getting this setup will take you less than a minute.

    First, find your HOSTS file.

    Open Notepad. Go to File, and Choose Open.

    If you have Windows 95, 98, or ME browse to the folder
    "C:\windows"

    If you have Windows XP Home browse to the folder
    "C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc"

    If you have anything else (Windows XP Pro, Windows 2000, NT,
    2003, etc.) browse to the folder:
    "C:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc"

    Once you're there, open the file called "hosts". If you
    don't see anything listed just type the word hosts and the
    file should open up. Just the word "hosts", no extension or
    anything after that. It's probably blank but it might not
    be.

    Add this line:

    127.0.0.1 pagead2.googlesyndication.com

    And save. You're done.

    Now go back to a site that you know has some Google Ads.
    There should be an empty space where the ads appeared.

    Want to turn it off? Don't just delete it, put a "#" sign in
    front of that line, like this:

    # 127.0.0.1 pagead2.googlesyndication.com

    What's that do? It basically says "ignore this line." I like
    to leave it like that so when I want to hide Google Ads
    again, all I have to do is remove the "#" sign and save –
    then put the "#" back in when I'm ready to go back to
    normal.

    To me, making a quick change in your HOSTS file to turn
    AdSense on and off is easier than fiddling around with a
    firewall program.

    Hope this helps.
     
    CrazyBoy, Dec 13, 2005 IP
    Dio and freelancer4hire like this.
  2. monRa

    monRa Peon

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    #2
    Nice article, thanks for posting...
     
    monRa, Dec 13, 2005 IP
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  3. ServerUnion

    ServerUnion Peon

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    #3
    Good thought, I have heard of people using thier firewall to do this also.
     
    ServerUnion, Dec 13, 2005 IP
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  4. CrazyBoy

    CrazyBoy Active Member

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    #4
    Yes but this is quicker.
     
    CrazyBoy, Dec 13, 2005 IP
  5. Dio

    Dio Well-Known Member

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    #5
    Great tip - but it does make your pages look ugly in Firefox, big grey Unable to Connect panels. :D

    This is a nice easy to do fix for something that's been on my to do list.
     
    Dio, Dec 13, 2005 IP
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  6. Dio

    Dio Well-Known Member

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    #6
    On another note, does anyone know how to change the properties of a shortcut so if I point it to the hosts file, I can make it open in Textpad? Is there a switch or something I can add to the properties section?
     
    Dio, Dec 13, 2005 IP
  7. ServerUnion

    ServerUnion Peon

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    #7
    right click the host file itself and select open with. select the application you like and check the box that says something about always using that application to open the file.
     
    ServerUnion, Dec 13, 2005 IP
  8. cagintranet

    cagintranet Well-Known Member

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    #8
    i have used this for months, and its great. the only problem is it disables the AdSense on any page you view, not just your website.

    i guess its all as well, being a webmaster, i am blind to adsense ads anyway.

    I know a lot of people have different views on whether this is ethically right or not, but then you have to weigh that arguement against "do i want my adsense acct revoked b/c of accidental clicks"?

    to me, the answer is easy...
     
    cagintranet, Dec 13, 2005 IP
  9. Windows-Update-Advisor

    Windows-Update-Advisor Well-Known Member

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    #9
    thanks for the tips on the hosts file. :p

    This should prevent me from clicking on my own ads again... (did it once) :eek:
     
    Windows-Update-Advisor, Dec 13, 2005 IP
  10. CrazyBoy

    CrazyBoy Active Member

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    #10
    Windows remembers programs to open certain types of files by their extension.
    Hence it wont work since the host file doesnt have any extension.
    I guess you have select notepad each time you open the file. :( :(
     
    CrazyBoy, Dec 13, 2005 IP
  11. ServerUnion

    ServerUnion Peon

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    #11
    hmm..

    you could create a DOS batch file with the directive to open the file with notepad. Then use that file as the link. Not tested, not sure how it will view the file since there is no extension.
     
    ServerUnion, Dec 13, 2005 IP
  12. siraxi

    siraxi Peon

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    #12
    Why not just use Firefox and its Adblock extension?
    It's so easy to use! details on Mozilla's website.
     
    siraxi, Dec 13, 2005 IP
  13. joch21

    joch21 Well-Known Member

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    #13
    JESUS! - Is it really that hard to not click your own ads?? You have to be a complete moron to be clicking your own ads all the time. It doesnt matter how many times you edit your website or change things around.
     
    joch21, Dec 13, 2005 IP
  14. cagintranet

    cagintranet Well-Known Member

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    #14
    when you are rushing around clicking between multiple screens... its nice to know that you dont have to worry about clicking your own ads.

    And being a moron has nothing to do with clicking your own ads... they are all accidents (i hope) and the fewer of them you have, the better off you are.
     
    cagintranet, Dec 13, 2005 IP
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  15. Jesse Abram

    Jesse Abram Peon

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    #15
    Google should put measures in place to keep people from having to be this afraid. I know it's been said 1000 times, but it's crazy that people should have to be so fearful of accidentally clicking something on their site...
     
    Jesse Abram, Dec 13, 2005 IP
  16. CrazyBoy

    CrazyBoy Active Member

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    #16
    This is actually one of the measures. Why would anyone click on ads on their own website. Not seeing them is the best way to avoid clicking on them. :)

    Google belives in keeping the quality of their adwords program. This measure is to avoid people cashing on adsense by fraudulent means since the ultimate payers are the advertisers and they wont keep paying if their ads wont convert.

     
    CrazyBoy, Dec 16, 2005 IP
  17. Windows-Update-Advisor

    Windows-Update-Advisor Well-Known Member

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    #17
    totally agree... did it beofre because of mouse movement not smooth, wanted to click links by ended mouse cursor landed on AS:eek: ... reported to AS and got reply few hours later....:p
     
    Windows-Update-Advisor, Dec 16, 2005 IP
  18. hbuilder

    hbuilder Peon

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    #18
    Hi, I'm new to this forum. I'm wondering is it possible for someone(competitor) to sabotage my adsense? They can just click dozens of times on my adsense and I'll be banned from Google? Anyone experienced this? How does Google track this?
     
    hbuilder, Dec 17, 2005 IP
  19. cagintranet

    cagintranet Well-Known Member

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    #19
    Ok, your new to the forum, so Ill give you a break - but you cant hijack a thread like this. Create your own thread.

    Oh and by the way, welcome to DP.
     
    cagintranet, Dec 17, 2005 IP
  20. kniveswood

    kniveswood Well-Known Member

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    #20
    Firefox + Adblock is still much easier. A simple Ctrl-Shift-B turns off all adsense ads. :D
     
    kniveswood, Dec 17, 2005 IP