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Statement about Removal of Google Ads on The Sydney Times to enhance reader experience

Written by Aksel Ritenis

Statement about Removal of Google Ads on the Sydney Times to enhance reader experience

Sydney 24 June,2025

-Why We are ditching Google ?

-Removal of  Google Ads to enhance User experience and extricate ourselves from the Google ecosystem

-We will not “play games” and implement Google’s Ad blocking recovery methods

-Google is under investigation by the US Department of Justice and in many European Jurisdictions which have concluded that Google is a Monopolist and are looking at breaking it up to seperate the ADTECH functions from the “Highly Manipulated” Search Engine and the “dodgy indexing” and Opaque Algorithms

Sydney Times Custodian and Publisher, Axel Ritenis
Statement  by Sydney Times Brand Custodian and Publisher, Axel Ritenis

After receiving numerous complaints and negative feedback from readers and watching our Traffic being “manipulated,contained and manged “by Googles efforts to de-platform us by “skewed and faulty indexing” with a resultant  drop in traffic in recent months.

Also the impact of AI and reduction of referrals back to a publishers site and the pathetic and paltry amounts that Google actually pays to a Publisher 

We have slowly come to the realization that Google Ads negatively impact the overall user experience and potentially damage our credibility and traffic levels with high bounce rates.

In addition AI Bots and Hackers have been  weaponizing Google Analytics Bots and SEO systems and Site Kit to damage and deface our website and We suspect collusion between Google and a mainstream Publisher -Yes ,..this is sinister !

Constant malicious AI Bots and  attacks have been used to disfigure our site by hackers found to be part of the Google ecosystem operating out of Singapore.

Sadly like many other sites, We are constantly hacked and attacked by the Chinese and the Russians (By using Cloud Flare security and other security  systems we are able to see the IP adresses which often are disguised by VPNs) with Bots and Denial of Service attacks ,..for obvious reasons, BUT now to top things of,..  We have also come under constant attack from AI Bots, Bad actors with malicious attacks connected with the Google Ecosystem.

This  regular and constant interference by well-organized and sophisticated hackers,..possibly connected to Mainstream Media interests,.. are weaponizing the Google echo system against us, to frustrate us and disrupt our ability to post/ share fresh content.

*Sadly I  believe that some of these attacks are being orchestrated by our mainstream competition,….and I am convinced there is collusion between mainstream Publishers and Google which requires investigation by the ACCC and the introduction of a system of criminal culpability  for malicious hackers and the managerial classes  who direct them,.

Consequently, in the interests of enhancing User experience and because of the negative experience with the Google Ad and SEO systems, We have decided it is no longer viable to expend time and energy in maintaining a cumbersome highly technical, and intrusive Google Ads System on our site that is not secure and highly vulnerable to malicious hacking any longer.

Whilst advertising by Google AdSense is a popular choice among publishers, We have discovered there are too many disadvantages to using AdSense and the” Google Eco system” which has become unbelievably complicated and time-consuming to administer and is vulnerable to hacking.

Enhancing the User Experience

There is no doubt that from our Reader’s perspective, Google ads are intrusive and significantly slow down the Sydney Times website loading times, thus affecting user and reader satisfaction and potentially leading to a high bounce rate!

“As the Custodian of the Sydney Times, I personally apologize to our readers for our slow reaction time and the fact that we inflicted Google Ads on you in the first place,although I must acknowleege some of the Ads are useful and well targeted.

As a publisher, We are  able  to organize, generate, and curate worthwhile and useful (and even engaging content), but We lack  the resources and technical knowledge to manage  highly complex SEO and Google Ads systems,..which have now become an  “absolute technical nightmare to run and operate.”

In addition many readers now object to what has developed into ” surveillance capitalism”  by Google,all the more so with the introduction of AI.

By removing Google Ads and the Google echo system Cookies will no longer be used and no personal data will be collected.  (There will be no persistent identifiers. No cross-site or cross-device tracking either. Your site data is not used for any other purposes.)

 

Introduction of a Simple banner system on the site as well as Paid Publicity 

We will continue to offer paid Publicity content and Sponsored articles and We Will introduce a simplified Ad Banner system restricted to the Homepage RH side columns not connected to Google.
We will continue to share publicity articles from Sydney Times  Community Stakeholders, and also post  Media releases, for Government, Agencies,.NFP’s etc.,he Arts & Culture sectors…
We will also carry Events publicity such as What’s On and limited banner advertising from independent community members and other advertisers.
We have decided to improve the reader experience by removing the insidious and pernicious Google AdSense and the Google ads ecosystem which is exploitative and manipulative and is also prone to be weaponized by hackers in the employ of mainstream media interests.

FAQ’s

1.) Why We are removing  Google  Adsense?

Using AdSense can result in a cluttered website appearance and slower loading times. Ad blockers can also affect revenue potential. Additionally, relying solely on ads for revenue can be unstable, as fluctuations in traffic can greatly impact earnings.

2.) Does AdSense Affect Website Loading Speed?

Yes, using AdSense can potentially slow down a website’s loading speed. The multiple ad scripts and tracking codes that need to be loaded can increase the overall page size and loading time. It is important to optimize website performance to mitigate this issue.

3.) Can Ad Blockers Affect AdSense Revenue?

Yes, ad blockers can negatively impact AdSense revenue. They prevent ads from being displayed for users who have installed an ad-blocking extension, reducing the number of impressions and potential clicks, and resulting in lower ad revenue for publishers. It is essential to consider alternative monetization strategies in such cases.

4.)What about Technical Issues?

AdSense comes with significant drawbacks. Firstly, it can be subject to technical issues, resulting in ads not appearing on websites. Secondly, it definitely slows down the loading speed of web pages, negatively impacting user experience.

Although Google AdSense is compatible with most popular browsers and devices, there can still be instances when compatibility issues arise. These issues may prevent ads from displaying correctly or cause functionality problems on certain platforms.

5.) Weaponization of Google systems by Malicious actors infiltrating Google systems which Google fails to acknowledge

We have decided to improve the reader experience by removing the insidious and pernicious Google AdSense and the Google ads ecosystem which is exploitative and manipulative and is also prone to being weaponized by hackers in the employ of mainstream media interests.

6.) What about Google admin?

Google imposes many problems and requirements and requires an inordinate amount of time to administer.!

In addition Google expert hackers can create many problems and a nightmare as they seek to enter your site and disconnect the Google-provided plugin Sitekit which is vulnerable to Hacking and never discussed by Google which seeks to cover up the vulnerabilities. These Hackers are experts at operating in the Google echos system and are likely employed by Mainstream media and their Flunkies in advertising agencies and the PR sector in a criminal conspiracy to cause damage to competitors and emerging publishers.

In addition.AdSense’s strict policies and guidelines are a significant concern for content creators. To avoid account suspension or termination, it is essential to thoroughly understand and adhere to these policies. Violating any of the policies mentioned above can have serious consequences and impact your ability to earn revenue through AdSense.

6.)Does it Slow Website Loading Times Due To Ad Scripts?

Yes,..A resounding Yes Having ads on your website using Google AdSense can adversely affect the loading speed of your website. This is primarily due to the ad scripts that need to be loaded before the content is displayed. It’s important to note that website load times play a significant role in user experience and can impact your search engine rankings.

Here are some key points to consider regarding the slow website loading times caused by ad scripts: Loading ad scripts can introduce additional HTTP requests, leading to increased loading times. Ad scripts are often hosted on external servers, which can add latency to your website loading process.A high number of ads or complex ad formats can further slow down the website. Slow loading times can result in higher bounce rates, as users tend to lose patience and leave if forced to wait.

7.) Other drawbacks of using Google from the publisher’s perspective

There are certain disadvantages to consider. One of these drawbacks is the insufficient control that We have as a publisher over the appearance and content of the Google ad shown on our site.

8.)Do you suffer Potential Loss Of Traffic Due To Ad Distraction And Competition?
Apart from the competitive challenges posed by the inclusion of competitor ads on your site, another disadvantage of AdSense is the potential loss of traffic due to ad distraction and competition. Here’s what you need to know: Ads can be visually distracting and may divert visitors’ attention away from your content. This can lead to a decrease in engagement and a higher bounce rate as users may leave your site if they find the ads intrusive or irrelevant. Over time, visitors may develop banner blindness, ignoring or consciously avoiding ads on web pages. This can result in a reduced click-through rate and ultimately affect your revenue potential from AdSense.

9.) Does Google compete for our site Clicks?

AdSense ads often compete for visitors’ attention alongside our own call-to-action buttons or links. This can lead to a decrease in the conversion rate of our desired actions, such as sign-ups or purchases, as users may click on ads instead.

 

About the author

Aksel Ritenis

Publisher and Custodian of the Sydney Times

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