I didn't feel comfortable with Google's demand, so RBR has quit the AdSense program.

AdSense puts small Google text ads on websites and blogs. You see these ads everywhere. At RBR they were stacked in the right side of about 35 pages. When you clicked on an ad, Google paid us a few cents. The revenue was minimal -- it's often referred to as "beer money" -- but every little bit helps. So why not ?

Here's why : We received notice from Google that each company in the AdSense program must review and possibly alter its privacy policy by April 8.

Red flag !

Google is beginning what it calls "interest-based advertising." This involves tracking users (that's you) so that advertising can be pinpointed to "interest categories" you tend to click on. Therefore, RBR's privacy policy needs to disclose the fact that clickers are being watched.

I think not. I'd rather break ties and not compromise our ironclad -- and unchanged -- privacy policy.

I like beer, but I'll drink cheap stuff before I let an 800-pound Googlerilla tell me what to do with RBR's standards.

With that out of the way, I hope you will click to the websites of companies that really do support RBR -- with no strings attached. Their advertising helps this newsletter continue to be free for roadies around the world, so please check 'em out in the Classifieds section of this newsletter and on our Classified Ads page.

Ed Pavelka
Editor, Publisher, Privacy Defender