In the past couple weeks, there were two high profile stories on AdSense and possible corruption around it.

(1) Google’s Search Ad Policies Cost This Company $1 Million basically saying how Google allegedly steals money from their AdSense publishers.

(2) An Insider Told Us Why Google Takes Millions From Web Sites Who Break Its Rules basically explaining that is not true and that money goes back to the advertiser.

Both are worth a read when you get some time.

A WebmasterWorld thread has moderator, martinibuster, explaining what he thinks the core issue and problem is here. It is defining who is the client. Is the client the AdSense publisher? Is the client the AdWords advertiser? Is it both?

Here is how he put it:

Technically, if you look at your AdSense code, you are assigned a client ID in the code. So someone at Google felt publishers were indeed clients. But ultimately, the ads on your site are from advertisers, they should be seen as the ultimate client because they are paying the bill.

If you look at it that way, does it change your perspective on things?

Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.