Search Engine Journal ran a story on how Google revenue programs are funding terrorists and endangering America. The point of the story is that Google turning a blind eye to click fraud encourages terrorists to exploit Adsense to fund their efforts. It’s an interesting story, if a dry read, but what struck me the most about this story was this quote:

Furthermore, Jim Hedger of Webmaster Radio has spoken with a contact who was behind the lines in Fallujah working with the Iraqi insurgency, who was setting up blog networks which serve Google AdSense advertisements, and incentivize their readers to click on the ads.

Not only, however, are users clicking on the ads, but these insurgent based networks are using clickbots, automated programs which click on Google advertisements, to click on these advertisements.

Why does Jim from Webmaster Radio have contacts inside the Iraqi insurgency? Why aren’t these “contacts” being named and turned over to the government?

Why do these webmasters, who themselves collect revenue, blame Google for what is essentially something the company can never really control, namely what people do with the money they make on the Internet?

Admittedly, I’m biased, as I make a pretty penny from Adsense on other blogs I own, but methinks I smell a hit piece.

It’ll be interesting to see where this story goes.