For those that don't know, Google offers a set of contextually targeted text-based and image-based ads that you can serve from your Web site by adding just a few lines of client-side JavaScript. This program, dubbed Google AdSense, allows publishers of online content to easily make a buck or two from their site's traffic without having to go through the hassle of creating/buying ad-serving software or soliciting and billing advertisers. The publisher gets a few cents each time a visitor clicks on a Google Ad. ScottOnWriting.NET has a Google Ad banner up at the top, for example.
While Google's AdSense program is easy to get setup, only sites with heavy traffic will make significant revenue. Most small sites, like my blog, can only expect to make a few cents a day. I have contemplated taking down the Google Ads on my blog, figuring the clutter on my blog wasn't worth the thirty or so dollars I expected to make with a full year of Google Ads, but I'm still evaluating the program... we'll see. It occurred to me, though, that there are likely other bloggers and low-traffic sites out, each making a few cents a day as well. While alone that amount of money is inconsequential, pooled this collective income could really add up. It then hit me - why not create a single Google AdSense account that anyone could use, and then donate the income generated to a charity?
Sounds like a great idea, no? Unfortunately, it is in direct violation of Google AdSense's Terms and Conditions. Specifically, Rule 5, Section (vi) states:
You shall not, and shall not authorize or encourage any third party to: directly or indirectly access, launch and/or activate Ads through ... any ... Web site or other means other than Your Site(s)...
So creating one pooled account from which any number of small sites could use to collectively pool the revenue generated through click throughs would be against Google AdSense's policies. To be on the safe side, I emailed the Google AdSense support desk and asked them if some exception could be made for such a charitable purpose. Unfortunately, the response was in the negative:
Unfortunately, as you mentioned, publishers may not publish ads on pages that they do not own or have control over. We appreciate your suggestion and encourage you to continue to let us know how we can improve Google
AdSense.
It's too bad Google's not interested in such a scenario. I think it would be a wild success since there are God knows how many sites out there that fit this bill: too small to generate serious scratch, but who would be interested in helping in donating a few cents, especially to do so all they'd have to do is add a few lines of JavaScript code. Attention Google: you're missing a great PR opportunity! :-)