Similarly, Google claimed they would start penalizing websites that showed full-page ads for mobile apps instead of showing you the website. But every single time I try to get to Gmail, or Drive, or Calendar, or any Google service on the web using a mobile device, I'm shown a full page ad for a mobile app. Google has been doing this for years, and it seems like it's also been a year since they said they'd punish all sites that do that. But Gmail still turns up as #1 in search results for email, so does calendar, etc. It seems to me that they have whitelisted themselves and choose not to punish any Google property that breaks the Google rules, despite claiming to do so.

Edit: Typically, when a service tells me "no you can't use this service until you view a full page ad" I just give up and not bother continuing to the service. But the same is not true for Google. I reluctantly click through the full page ad every single time. It's incredibly annoying that I let them get away with this and still use the services. They are so outrageously arrogant about it and it bothers me greatly, but still, I don't change.

Edit 2:

Going to calendar.google.com: http://i.imgur.com/fNRhhYx.png

First results for searching 'calendar': http://i.imgur.com/l3A5Wlh.png

Google DFP allows it because publishers (e.g. the New Yorker) aren't ready to switch all their traffic HTTPS. If they wanted to they could turn the switch and be HTTPS and tell DFP to only serve secure creatives.

One of the larger difficulties for publishers is that many of the 3rd party SSPs aren't ready to go full HTTPs and so publishers are reluctant to make the switch because it reduces demand sources.

Disclaimer: Work for Google in advertising

This is also effectively true for the more broadly used Google Adsense (not just DFP). They do support displaying adsense, but then screen out all non-https ads. Which, of course, results in a lower CPM.[1]

[1]https://support.google.com/adsense/answer/10528?hl=en

>>In short; Google will penalize me because I use Google

+++

They're trying to nudge their customers for a while. It is just a little difficult when that's one's biggest source of income.

For example, https://support.google.com/dfp_sb/answer/4515432?hl=en

Google is a large company, with multiple branches.

I can't remember what services it is now, but there was some Google service that was deranked because it broke some Google search ranking policy.

It shows some integrity for the company that they're (sort of) operating their search engine objectively.

I presume that google doesn't uprank sites that specifically use Adsense versus other competing ad services?

I have a page hosted on Google Sites. It seems that Google Sites doesn't support HTTPS on custom domains either.

That is interesting. The Ads team is the same group that recommended turning off Transport Security in iOS 9 so you can run your Google's unencrypted Ads stack[1]. I'm sure there are two different departments that are fighting two totally separate wars. I've definitely seen this pattern in huge companies where one team is trying to push an agenda that forces another team to reshuffle their priorities.

[1] - http://googleadsdeveloper.blogspot.com/2015/08/handling-app-...

It is really hard for DFP to not allow non-secure creatives as long as you can create 3rd-party creatives. They do try to detect non-secure assets though, so they won't run on secure pages. See: https://support.google.com/dfp_premium/answer/4515432?hl=en

I'm jealous that you get to work for the New Yorker website. Any openings?

Reminds me of PageSpeed Insights bitching about assets loaded from Google (fonts, scripts, css).