Google Sued Over Click Fraud

tanveer1979 writes "A seller of online marketing tools has sued Google over click fraud, accusing it of failing to protect clients from spurious clicks over web ads. The suit claims damages of $5 million and is seeking class action status. Sites get money per click from the advertisers. Rival companies of the advertiser may employ people to repeatedly click on the advertisers link on Google costing them large amount of money. Google denied the allegations. From the article: 'We believe the suit is without merit and we will defend ourselves against it vigorously.'" Interesting turnaround.

Re:Failing to prevent?

[droptone]

Why do you hate America?

Proof of Fraud on Google's Own Website!!!

[Zemplar]

Google's Click Fraud System! [google.com]

Re:Not much of a turnaround.

[haagmm]

You could say go to google. google Click Fraud and click "Click Defense"'s add on the right hand side 10-20 times just for added good mesure :p

Fake Chicks

[jolyonr]

I'm far more concerned about Fake Chicks that come up using Google Image search. Maybe we should sue.

I am safe from click fraud

[Georules]

with my Visa CapitalOne Check Card. It's in my wallet.

Got extortion?

[raitchison]

This seems like a rather obvious case of extortion if you ask me. I can picture the "negotiations" now.

Click Defense: Buy our software

Google: No thanks, we're good

Click Defense: Buy it or we'll file a lawsuit and make lots of public statements saying you are allowing your customers to be ripped off (reminding them that people beleive anything they read on the IntArweb)

Google: Pack Sand

Click Defense: You'll regret this, it'll now cost you 10x as much as our shitty software

Why don't we hold companies and individuals criminally resposible for this kinds of abuse of the legal system?

Re:Not much of a turnaround.

[CaymanIslandCarpedie]

Wonder if a telephone number has ever been /.ed before ;-)

Mod Up: Happy Activity for slashdotters

[tod_miller]

Click for google search link for 'Click Fraud' [google.com] then click all the click fraud companies google ads - lets see how long it takes to wear out their daily budgets!

DO IT, DO IT NOW!

PS: Has this ever worked on slashdot?

Re:I tried to give them some solutions

[Slashcrap]

I once asked them, if I click 5 times on an ad, does that get charged 5 times? They said they couldn't say.

They were being polite. I suspect that what they actually meant was something like this :

We have our methods, thanks. We have absolutely nothing to gain and potentially a lot to lose by revealing them to a complete non-entity who isn't a customer and who probably couldn't even afford to put an ad in his local paper. Please go away before we invoice you for the 30 seconds of our time that you have just wasted, since it would most likely bankrupt you. Have a nice day.

That's my guess anyway. But I do tend to suffer from realism.

Re:Not much of a turnaround.

[Greatmoose]

Yes, it has. Back when EPIII was coming out, there were a bunch of fans lined up at the wrong theater weeks ahead of time, and somebody here on slashdot posted the number to the pay phone outside the theater. Well, in very short order, it was constantly busy. It was quite funny.

Re:Not much of a turnaround.

[bonk]

Yeah. It's like everyone is trying to drive a...

er, never mind.

Re:Got extortion?

[Anonymous Coward]

Why don't we hold companies and individuals criminally resposible for this kinds of abuse of the legal system?

Great idea! Lets sue them.