India's secret army of online ad 'clickers'

[armstrong]

Just saw this article - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-654822,curpg-1.cms

With her baby on her lap, Maya Sharma (name changed) gets down to work every evening from her eighth-floor flat at Vasant Vihar. Maya's job is to click on online advertisements. She doesn't care about the ads, but diligently keeps count — it's $0.18 to $0.25 per click.

As an online advertiser, I am both horrified and angered by this fraudulent practice.

 

[Mr. Websites]

Originally posted by matrics
We could get a lot of indians, get them to install proxy software (I know one that changes the proxy you're on every 5 seconds or so) and there ya go...

I think you're talking about Stealther. They closed their website down now, so I doubt you can still buy it.

 

[iDeviseFlash]

lol. Well, if there a one billiob indians...haha that = a LOT OF CLICKS, hehe

 

[Mr. Websites]

I honestly doubt its just Indians doing it. The article was purely targeted towards and written by Indians, and thus concentrates on them greatly. If the advertising agencies, clickers, alongside the advertiser(s) themselves are in on what's happening, I don't understand what's immoral with what they're doing. You might say the advertisers don't know what's happening, but the reality is- they do. I doubt you would start an ad-campaign without visiting the agency's website, and these websites clearly state that they will pay clickers for minimally clicking on the advertisements.

 

[iDeviseFlash]

ya, i mean, everyone has to be somewhat in on it right? otherwise, it wouldnt work, in theory. i guess that all sorts of people could do it, prolly some here in the US that are hooked up and just clicknig away...scary thought still...

 

[Mr. Websites]

Nah, actually everyone has to be in on it. The only possible way someone would not know about this would be if the advertiser was seriously stupid.

 

[iDeviseFlash]

ya, lol. So that would be like, a lot of people, haha. But, there have to be enough of the riht people willing to do that, so...

 

[Mr. Websites]

Originally posted by iDeviseFlash
But, there have to be enough of the riht people willing to do that, so...

What are you talking about? The "right" people?

 

[iDeviseFlash]

well, people willing to be in the scam. like, i mean, you just dont go to yahoo and say, hey, wanna do this. right? i mean people willing to be in that "shady" (for lack of better word) business.

 

[Mr. Websites]

I don't think you understood my previous posts. I was saying it isn't a scam, considering everyone (the advertiser, agency and the clickers) know what's happening. If the advertiser didn't know, this would be illegal. Considering the advertiser visits the agency's website and the fact that they have a group of untargeted clickers is visible to these advertisers, makes the entire concept legit. Everyone knows what's going on, it's just the advertisers who are a bit too clumsy to realize what he or she is losing.

 

[iDeviseFlash]

umm, I'd call it a scam, lol. Ya, no one on the inside gets scammed, but other do, on the outside. It's like drugs, everyone on the "inside" nows, but i still think it's almost like a "scam."

 

[Mr. Websites]

The advertiser knows what he's getting into, how can that possibly be a scam?

 

[iDeviseFlash]

for us, i guess. Idk, lol, we are on to different tracks i think, hehe.

 

[Mr. Websites]

Yap, read my posts again and you'll understand what I'm trying to say.

 

[iDeviseFlash]

i see what your saying, i just think weird :p