Google Updates Advertiser Program T&C

Advertisers of Google's Adwords program were forced to accept new terms and conditions today. A colleague was nice enough to do the heavy lifting and point out the major differences between the new terms and the older one from May 23, 2006.

Here is a highlight of the more interesting points (emphasis added by me):

A) Section 2 - The Program
- Previously, the language said "Ads may be placed on (y) any content or property provied by Google ("Google Property"), and unless opted-out by Customer (z) any other content or property provided by a third party ("Partner") upon which Google places ads ("Partner Property").
- Now, the language says "Customer understands and agrees that ads may be placed..." and "unless Customer opts out of such placement in the manner specificed by Google..." As well as "Customer authorizes and consents to all such placements."

B) Section 5 - Disclaimer and Limitation of Liability
This section is where the meat of the changes occur.
i) - Previously, "Google disclaims all guarantees regarding positioning or the levels or timing of:"
- Now, "Google disclaims all guarantees regarding positioning, levels, quality, or timing of:"
ii) Brand new, "Customer understands that third parties may generate impressions or clicks on Customer's ads for prohibited or improper purposes, and Customer accepts the risk of any such impressions and clicks. Customer's exclusive remedy, and Google's exclusive liability, for suspected invalid impressions or clicks is for Customer to make a claim for a refund in the form of advertising credits for Google Properties within the time period required..."

One can guess this update is entirely driven by recent click and while nothing earth shattering simply spells out more clearly the policy driving their business.

Comments

[Chris Zaharias]

Someone in the Do No Evil Dept over there had a momentary lapse. Limiting liability to credits is pretty bleepin' weak.

[Ben Edelman]

Great post. Do you (or does anyone else) have a copy of the full text of the prior Terms and Conditions? A full review of all changes may yield other interesting nuggets.