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Filed under: Business, Internet, Microsoft, Social Software

Truly targeted advertising - coming to a desktop near your soon?

For the Windows users out there who've been affected by adware, this might be salt to the wounds: ArsTechnica is reporting that Microsoft of all firms has patented the "mother of all adware systems" - an advertising framework that allows adverts to be matched to data you search, and potentially data on your hard drive as well.

There are, of course, huge privacy concerns that we'll be watching, and seeing whether Microsoft can address these whilst providing more relevant adverts (something we'd love, if we really have to have adverts). The patent application lists "user document files, user e-mail files, user music files, downloaded podcasts, computer settings, computer status messages (e.g., a low memory status or low printer ink)" as examples of the technology potentially coming to a system near you soon.

Filed under: Business, Internet, Web services, Google, Social Software

Google, MySpace and $900 million

google and myspace $900 million dealMySpace has reached a deal with Google to pay out approximately $900 million in shared revenue for Google to become their exclusive search provider, in a move said by some to block Yahoo! and MSN from getting a piece of the action.

Through the deal, Google search boxes will be added to MySpace, as well as provide keyword targeted ads through AdSense. As far as advertising goes, Google will also get first call on selling any unsold ad space that Fox Interactive has not sold directly.

Terms of the deal include Fox meeting certain milestones in traffic in order for Google to pay out. Google has no doubt that Fox will meet all criteria for payouts. The ads and search boxes are expected to be up and running by the end of the year, and continue until mid 2010.

Filed under: Business, Internet, Security, Google

Click Fraud stats in Google AdWords

google click fraud stats in adwordsGoogle will now offer advertisers access to their click fraud statistics. Google has made changes in its AdWords system to enable companies and individuals to see if there have been any invalid clicks to any of their Google ad campaigns. This new AdWords feature will give advertisers a more detailed look into any invalid click activity in their account.

Google's main goal with this approach is to provide transparency so that advertisers who may have previously been concerned with click fraud issues will be able to see how Google is protecting them against any harm.

Filed under: Developer, Internet, Blogging, Web services, Google

Google Invalid Clicks Document

google invalid clicksA while ago, a company brought Google to court in regards to a click fraud case, and invalid clicks. As part of the settlement, Google was ordered to have an independent expert examine the methods Google has in place to determine if they are detecting things properly. The individual went through Google and examined their policies, practices, and procedures.

The report found that Google's efforts against click fraud are in fact reasonable. And now Google has a 47 page report of the conclusions.

Dr. Alexander Tuzhilin, the individual set in place to examine Google, is a Professor of Information Systems at NYU. Tuzhilin looked at the types of data Google collected, filtering methods, log generations, AdSense auto-termination methods, ad conversion systems, AdSense publisher systems, click quality investigative processes, credit process systems, and alerting systems to see if Google met reasonable efforts for invalid clicks, and click fraud issues.

During his visits to Google, Alexander met with many engineers responsible for the design and development of the online invalid click detection software, in addition to spam operators who inspect invalid clicking activities.

The document covers not only Google's history, but the internet's history as well. Google's pay per click advertising model is touched upon in some detail, as well as the pay per click model, including AdWords and AdSense program outlines.

The Tuzhilin Report is a great read to look into Google, and how they battle click fraud issues, and invalid click concerns.

Featured Time Waster

The World's Hardest Game 2.0 - Time Waster

So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do. Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game. The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...

View more Time Wasters

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