Google AdSense Click Tracking

Note: This is a research article and is by no means methods Google or Google AdSense actually use to determine click fraud.

How do you think Google intelligently tracks the clicks from users in Google AdWords and AdSense networks? How does Google AdSense prevent abuse? Here is our opinion.

Each time someone clicks a Google AdSense Ad, it generates a network packet which contain Ethernet Frames. An Ethernet Frame contains unique information that identifies a host machine on the Internet. There is a lot of information contained in an Ethernet Frame, but the most interesting information contained is a source (the device the packet is coming from) and destination (the device the packet is going to) IP Address and a MAC Address. How does one see this information? One of the most popular programs for capturing network information is WireShark.

So, in theory clicking on a Google Ad reveals your device IP Address and MAC Address. We believe Google is capturing both addresses to best determine user clicking behavior and for determining Ad serving decisions. Is Google dumping network packets from all user-clicked Ad’s and automating investigation of the packets?

So What If:

A Google AdSense account is serving multiple Ads on 5 websites (under the same Google AdSense Account).

A user decided to visit all 5 websites and click an Ad on each site within 5 minutes. The user does so using the same IP address (connected to a wireless network) and iPhone.

Of course this scenario could happen; however, it seems to be highly unlikely Google would honor the 5 clicks as earning clicks. Hypothetically, Google would pay 1 of the 5 clicks in this scenario.

(If you are a Google AdSense account holder doing this test remember you are violating your AdSense agreement)

We have complete trust in Google AdSense because it’s by Google. AdSense is the most popular form of monetizing online today. Major Advertisers partner with Google AdWords (AdSense serves AdWords ads) because of it’s large creator network reach. AdSense requires application approval.

Follow the Google AdSense Twitter: @AdSense