Couldn't you just avoid the risk by running CPM banners from another ad program instead of CPC?

I have a whole bunch of alternatives on mind, that's not the actual point. since any of the ideas would require additional work on- /or/ business decisions for the site ( which is not mine ) I have to make it clear to everyone involved what the real risks are.

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Google was very careful to provide the usual vague 'clarifications' on the issue - with phrases like 'not recommended [adsense.blogspot.com]', 'if [adsense.blogspot.com]', and 'may [adsense.blogspot.com]' - so i thought I'd ask about actual experiences.

I mean your experiences with Google's reaction to:
- a dropdown menu covering an AdSense ad.

I'd convince that genius *cough* to NOT obstruct Google ads. I guess that big G does not like that, regardless of how good you are at arguing that "it might be OK". See, "might" includes the chance that it's not, actually. Also, what might be OK today, might be not so OK tomorrow. Do you know how Google will change overnight?

Also, IMO the danger with Google lies in the human review. If you get to a *cough* person that follows the TOS by the letter, you might receive that unwanted email rather sooner than later. Unless, of course, you are a premium publisher, or your name is Youtube or Yahoo or something similar big.

Note to self: go to pharmacy, get something against *cough* that nasty cold

Whenever there's the slightest question, err on the side of caution, if maintaining AdSense is a priority to the site owner. There's really nothing else to add to that; the forums are full of people who have lost their accounts.

The ad may not disappear on rollout, but does it disappear on a click? What if someone is on a slow computer or connection and they do a slow double click on the menu?

Even if it is safe in these circumstances, if a google employee looks at the site, the sensible thing for them to do would be to assume guilt, which would be correct in this case. You know better and you have explained it to the site owner, so you *are* intentionally doing something that you know that google doesn't really approve of.

I would avoid it like the plague. The "Program Policies" page has this statement under "Ad Placement":

Elements on a page must not obscure any portion of the ads.

Is the menu effect worth the income that you would lose if you lose the account?

Mike

I went out of my way to make my drop downs and my ad units not coincide. For example, one ad unit is left-most under the drop-down bar. But! The left-most drop-down bar entry is "Latest Discussions" (home) and it is only clickable and does not drop down. The next drop-down item to the right on the bar drops down NEXT to the ad unit, and not over it.

Is the menu effect worth the income that you would lose if you lose the account?

The whole argument - from the owners' perspective - was more about product image than direct effects on income. The design, for some mysterious reason had to include a dropdown.

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I protested against its use from the moment I saw the first draft.
you can tell how successful I was from me asking questions, 99% to which I know the asnwers to...

memo: learn to communicate with those not familiar with the tricks of the trade. you are too technical. they don't get you.

icedowl's quote seems crystal clear to me:

Elements on a page must not obscure any portion of the ads.

Pass that along--it moves the issue from "possible inadvertent clicks" to "not obscuring the ads."

No ambiguity there.