It wasn't a mistake. It was deliberate.

I second that, this was not a mistake, it IS the equivalent of spyware that was only detected when the code started messing with people's sites.

Why would google do this on purpose, especially with Acrobat Reader? Sorry, that doesn't make sense. The only possible reason would be an attempt to get users updated for usage of video ads in the future, but sorry - that doesn't make sense either. If adsense video gets launched, and an adsense site has the option turned on, the user will get the prompt then -- and they will likely spot what it is for on the page and go ahead and update.

Google knows that prompts being thrown aren't looked upon kindly by webmasters OR surfers, especially when they don't make any sense. They would never try such a stunt. All this did was hurt adsense all around, no upside to be had.

It was a mistake. Someone screwed up. Not deliberate.

So I just have to ask, are you guys really THIS suspicious of google these days? My oh my, how attitudes have shifted...

[edited by: dkoller at 7:39 am (utc) on Aug. 17, 2006]

And never mind QA. Any good javascript programmer would have to have gone blind and dyslexic simultaneously to not know what they were coding.

I'm not saying it was smart either. Who knows how it happened. Some test server has this modified show_ads.js file to try all this stuff out (video/flash ads), and somehow it became live. **** can happen.

dkoller,

just what is ambiguous about coding

var x=new Object()?

I did not ascribe any particular motive. I said that the code did not accidentally type itself. Someone typed it in, and that someone works for Google. Unless they want to now claim that their servers were hacked.

If I code r=CreateProcess(foo) in a Windows program, I know full well that I am instructing Windows to create a new process. The reason *why* has nothing to do with the fact that I know *what* will happen.

**** can happen.

Yeah, and now the public is talking about it. Or do we now need special permission to do that? It's certainly more interesting than 43 threads about "I've been banned and I'm 110% clean!"

Why would google do this on purpose, especially with Acrobat Reader?

Maybe because, since about a month or two, it comes packed with the Google toolbar.

I really hope it was just an incompetent programmer, as this certainly may have spoiled the reputation of our site for many. One mistake can be forgiven, but it should not repeat. If this was deliberate, it would be hard to forgive.

Am I really that suspicious,,,,,at this time have to say yes. It took Google 4 days to respond to this item and then only with a "oops" statement. How about it took 4 days to reverse the strategy?...seems more logical. When webmasters on this board can troubleshoot the issye quicker than the phd's that run it....and altered it....you bet I am suspicious of the motives. More important they have broken the trust that I had in them to deliver ads after giving them access to my site. To use it for any other purpose other than that is arogant of them.

I'm with Visi on this one.

A quick little "oops" days later and then nothing else. Seems like a cover up of a test or something that didn't go as planned or a total mishap...either one an embarrassing situation for the supposed braniacs at the Plex.

SB

Adsense publishers = lab rats

The Rodney Dangerfields of the plex.

Arguably, a more detailed explanation of what exactly went wrong, and why the work on it started in the first place (what was the original expected result), would be more appropriate.

We all know that paranoia spreads well when there is not enough information.

It took Google 4 days to respond to this item and then only with a "oops" statement. How about it took 4 days to reverse the strategy?...seems more logical.

Ok well the question I have then is this. With google adsense being so widespread, and WebmasterWorld being so highly frequented, how come nobody else posted about the problem for over 3 days since beggers first did?

This is obviously speculation, but it almost seems like this code went live for a very short time on Aug. 11, and then reappeared on the 14th when I first posted about it again wondering why in heck nobody else noticed this issue for over 3 days! Then a floodgate opened and a bunch of people immediately confirmed. So in hindsight I don't think it truly was a period of 4 full days that this was going on.

Beggers - did you routinely see this throughout Aug 12 & Aug 13? Or was it intermittent?

There could be so many different answers as to why and how this occurred, I agree with John that paranoia has become really high on this. At this time I choose not to accuse google of doing this intentionally, although Visi I must admit it's possible it was a strategy -- but I just cannot accept that google would be unable to foresee this outcome. 'Boneheaded' would describe that.

Ditto John Carpenter. It really would be in google's best interest for ASA to explain further at this point, with all the speculation going on (mine included).

There are other ways this could have been handled other than simply throwing it in the face of viewers. How about nice buttons that politely ask the visitor to download whatever they wish to have them upgrade?

Saw an acrobat button on another website yesterday that was a breath of fresh air.

Ann

Can anyone tell if it has been fixed?

Adsense advisor confirmed in msg #:3047811 in this thread it has been fixed.

Sorry,

Not even going to try running post numbers down now...takes too much time and doesn't make a lick of sense. :)

Was that confirmation the only post by ASA? If so I think they were spotted by someone in here after she/he posted.

Ann

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We encountered some technical issues that caused some visitors using IE to see download prompts for third-party add-ons or plug-ins. Our engineers resolved the issue right away, so ad serving is now back to normal.

Don't worry -- all clicks and impressions have been recorded as usual. We're sorry for any inconvenience, and grateful for your patience during this time.

-ASA

And yes, it is the only post he made in this thread.

Don't worry -- all clicks and impressions have been recorded as usual.

ASA, with all due respect, the worries apparently were not about the number of clicks and impressions recorded, but something more important (reputation). What exactly happened and why? What was supposed to be the outcome of the change, if any? Was it deliberate? Thank you for honest answers in advance.

I saw it after ASA posted, but I haven't seen it since.

Has anyone gotten their video code to work with AdSense yet? If so, do you have a live example posted online that I can view of what this is supposed to look like?

-Mimi

I just left adsense blogspot and sure enough while there I got a macromedia player update popup!

Nope, it is still going on.

Ann

Nope, it is still going on.

What does the adsense blog have to do with this?