Contrary to its past pledges, Google seems to be dabbling in the evil known as banner ads. Search Engine Land has confirmed that Google is experimenting with placing large banner ads across the top of its search pages whenever someone searches for a particular brand. In the picture shown by Search Engine Land, a search for “Southwest Airlines” would retrieve a huge Southwest ad that would be placed right at the top of all search results. Such giant ads would run counter to Google’s statement back in 2005 when it said that “there will be no banner ads on the Google homepage or web search results pages” and that there “will not be crazy, flashy, graphical doodads flying and popping up all over the Google site.”
Google mulls breaking its pledge on search banner ads
Published Oct 23rd, 2013 5:20PM EDT
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Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.
