A Question for Bloggers - WHAT IF?

The Lead: In order for me to ask the following question without violating Google’s policies, I ask that you do not click the ads on any of the sites with which I am affiliated. The sites include:

• www.plexav.com

The Google AdSense Policies :

Don’t ask others to click on Google ads. Users should click on Google ads because they’re interested in the services being advertised. Encouraging users to click on your Google ads, either directly or indirectly, can lead to inflated advertiser costs and can cause your account to be disabled. Encouraging clicks In order to ensure a good experience for users and advertisers, publishers may not request that users click the ads on their sites or rely on deceptive implementation methods to obtain clicks. Publishers participating in the AdSense program:

• May not encourage users to click the Google ads by using phrases such as “click the ads,” “support us,” “visit these links,” or other similar language.

The Google Terms and Conditions :

Prohibited Uses. You shall not, and shall not authorize or encourage any third party to: (i) directly or indirectly generate queries, Referral Events, or impressions of or clicks on any Ad, Link, Search Result, or Referral Button through any automated, deceptive, fraudulent or other invalid means, including but not limited to through repeated manual clicks, the use of robots or other automated query tools…

The Question : What if each blogger whenever visiting a site or reading an RSS Feed was to find a genuine interest in one ad located on the page, or feed? And, what if the Blogger, motivated by the genuine interest, was to each time click on the one ad located on the page or feed?

The Answer : I envision Blogging becoming a viable way to make a living. I envision Bloggers initiating the “Attention Economy.” I envision a turn towards a cooperation-based marketplace, and away from an exploitation-based marketplace.

The Concept : It becomes customary that a Blogger develops a genuine interest in one of the ads disposed on each site the Blogger visits. Motivated only by such a genuine interest then, the Blogger might click on the ad of interest.

The Follow : If Blogging is to become anything more than modernity’s version of the “town crier,” Bloggers will have to accept that they are collectively to act as agents of change, turning society and humanity towards a cooperative ideal, rather than a standard of exploitation.