# Bugger! I just clicked a google ad! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 25, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341 "2005-09-25T16:30:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/1 "2005-09-25T16:30:15Z")
:mad: I keep a few windows open at once. While waiting for a reply on SDMB to load, I’ll go to another window. So I did that, and then clicked on an ‘open’ part of the SDMB window to get that window on top – just as the page moved up a little, causing me to click a google ad. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/2 "2005-09-25T16:31:03Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > :mad: > > I keep a few windows open at once. While waiting for a reply on SDMB to load, I’ll go to another window. So I did that, and then clicked on an ‘open’ part of the SDMB window to get that window on top – just as the page moved up a little, causing me to click a google ad. You are now obligated to purchase the mailing list and become a filthy, filthy spammer. [Nelson] Ha Ha! [/Nelson] ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/3 "2005-09-25T16:31:43Z")
Be fair, now–he might just be purchasing accurate retail and foodservice data. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/4 "2005-09-25T16:32:42Z")
I’ve done this a few times already, but since I have no intention whatsoever to actually buy the services offered, I guess the SDMB gets credit for the click but not the sale. I understand there are ways to reroute certain webpages, aren’t there? I suppose ideally, you could set your machine to reroute a request for the advertisers’ pages back to the SDMB page you were viewing in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/5 "2005-09-25T16:55:34Z")
Be happy! You just gave the SDMB a half a cent! ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/6 "2005-09-25T16:58:33Z")
Maybe we should have a click through campaign - the SDMB can have the highest click through rate for google ads on the web! The correlation to purchase may be very low. ---
**Author:** ![Darkhold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@Darkhold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkhold)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/7 "2005-09-25T17:06:10Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Maybe we should have a click through campaign - the SDMB can have the highest click through rate for google ads on the web! > > The correlation to purchase may be very low. In the ATMB thread they mention that Google monitors that and if they catch you they don’t pay you. So…bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/8 "2005-09-25T17:13:10Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Maybe we should have a click through campaign - the SDMB can have the highest click through rate for google ads on the web! > > The correlation to purchase may be very low. Shh! You’ll upset the mods! 😉 I got rid of that pesky ad problem by blocking them. ---
**Author:** ![Phnord\_Prephect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Phnord\_Prephect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phnord_Prephect)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/9 "2005-09-25T17:33:37Z")
> [@Darkhold](#): > > In the ATMB thread they mention that Google monitors that and if they catch you they don’t pay you. So…bad idea. Wouldn’t that make them go away? Eventually? 😉😃 ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/10 "2005-09-25T17:36:42Z")
I tried clicking on the Experian link just to see what happened. Just an ad page, no popups to be blocked by Popup Stopper. The one thing that’s annoying about clicking on those links is that, unlike clicking on a link in a thread, the page you go to doesn’t open in a new tab. ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/11 "2005-09-25T17:55:01Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > I tried clicking on the Experian link just to see what happened. Just an ad page, no popups to be blocked by Popup Stopper. > > The one thing that’s annoying about clicking on those links is that, unlike clicking on a link in a thread, the page you go to doesn’t open in a new tab. If you’re referring to Firefox, you can always force this behavior with Right Click | Open in new tab. I know it’s probably moot because no one’s going to click on the ads anyway, but useful to know. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/12 "2005-09-25T17:59:13Z")
> [@DarrenS](#): > > If you’re referring to Firefox, you can always force this behavior with Right Click | Open in new tab. > > I know it’s probably moot because no one’s going to click on the ads anyway, but useful to know. Yes, indeed! I am using Firefox, as it happens. Turns out by right-clicking I have my choice of a new tab or a new window. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/13 "2005-09-25T18:11:48Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Yes, indeed! I am using Firefox, as it happens. Turns out by right-clicking I have my choice of a new tab or a new window. Or, by middle-clicking, you can automatically open in a new tab. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/14 "2005-09-25T18:17:36Z")
I haven’t blocked the ads because I’m curious what they’re advertising for. So far, it’s been only mailing lists. Who do they think we are? ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/15 "2005-09-25T18:24:42Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > [Nelson] > Ha Ha! > [/Nelson] Dammit, I got beat to it again 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/16 "2005-09-25T21:21:46Z")
> [@brianjedi](#): > > Or, by middle-clicking, you can automatically open in a new tab. Or Control-clicking. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/17 "2005-09-25T21:50:13Z")
If there were anything other than mailing lists I might click on them. Well, mailing lists and fund raising for Katrina ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/18 "2005-09-25T22:51:46Z")
> [@Darkhold](#): > > In the ATMB thread they mention that Google monitors that and if they catch you they don’t pay you. So…bad idea. OHMYGOD! Your right! If Google goes away, we might have to start paying for this forum! :eek: Oh…nevermind. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugger-i-just-clicked-a-google-ad/323341/19 "2005-09-25T22:56:05Z")
You’ll live. :rolleyes: