It was during a quick search of the New York Post's online edition that I discovered something both funny and disturbing - and definitely controversial.
The article for which I was searching was already controversial enough. It was,
"JEWS' SUBWAY HERO A MUSLIM:
SAVES 'HANUKKAH' RIDERS FROM THUGS"
(story found here)
and, not totally surprising, I was initially greeted with a typically annoying audio popup for Toyota Corp. It looked like this...
I really didn't mind it... ONCE. But what made it so annoying was that it re-appeared on EVERY... SINGLE... PAGE.
Now That's a Little Odd, Wouldn't You Say?
I mean, surely, any business with the money and staff of the New York Post should have been able to hire competent advertising firms who would have a firm grasp of "cookie technology" and, therefore, been able to limit their one same ad to just one showing per visit... even per-hour, let's say.
But Nope, There It Was, Over and Over Again.
Naturally, I started "X"ing out but the X, and the accompanying word "close" were faint red and very tiny, indeed.
Ok, Something's Not Right Here...
Why would a sleazy tabloid with enough money to fund every presidential candidate's campaigns combined want their cheesy video popup to not only appear AS MANY TIMES AS POSSIBLE but also have a "close link" about the size of a hamster's pubic hair?
Oh I Don't Know.... Could It Beeeeee.....
CLICK FRAUD?!
(anyone who can't figure out how I got it to say click fraud, just ask)
It honestly didn't occur to me until, accidentally, I'd missed the tiny X and clicked on an ad for a credit company who I would comfortably presume had just had anywhere from $15 to $45 neatly subtracted from their ppc advertising account. So, naturally, in the inimitable style of Sam Freedom, I found their contact form and, on behalf of the New York Post, promptly thanked them for having generously contributed to the New York Post's "Executive Lunch Fund."
Merry Christmas Everybody!
And a Happy New Year!
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