Yahoo Click Fraud Settlement Increases Transparency - Google’s Terms vs. Yahoo’s Terms
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The terms of Yahoo’s settlement seem to be more wide-ranging than the terms of Google’s settlement, and not just on the matter of money. First, let me start with the sections that deal with the eligible period for the refund. Here Google is actually a little more generous than Yahoo. Normally, Google allows advertisers to apply for reimbursement for fraudulent clicks within 60 days of when the clicks occurred. For Google’s settlement, the search engine giant has stated that “we are going to open up that window for all advertisers, regardless of when the questionable clicks occurred…This agreement covers all advertisers who claim to have been charged but not reimbursed for invalid clicks dating from 2002 when we launched our ‘cost per click’ advertising program through the date the settlement is approved by the judge.”
Yahoo’s settlement, on the other hand, offers advertisers “a one-time extended claims period during which advertisers can submit click fraud claims for clicks dating back through January 2004.” Like Google, Yahoo says it is issuing a 100 percent credit for clicks it finds to be fraudulent that were not previously credited. It has been noted, though, that Google’s credits can only be used to purchase new advertising with Google; Yahoo’s credits “can be used however the advertiser wishes to use it,” which at least implies that they will be made in cash. It seems worth reiterating that Google’s settlement has a cap, while Yahoo has not placed a cap on the amount of claims. To give you an idea of the sums of money involved, Yahoo made $9.1 billion in ad revenue from January 2004 through March of 2006.
And I have to give Yahoo extra credit here: the company has enlisted the aid of a retired federal judge to oversee the claims process. To my way of thinking, that sends the message that Yahoo is going to do everything in its power to make sure the investigation and refunds are handled fairly.
The details of Google’s settlement seem to stop there, but Yahoo is just barely getting warmed up. On its web site, Yahoo lists five terms to the settlement agreement, and even goes so far as to state that it will take two additional steps, not required by the terms of the settlement, to help combat click fraud. If this already sounds like a company willing to go above and beyond to make its advertising customers happy, wait until you see the nature of the additional terms.
Next: Yahoo’s Additional Terms >>
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