Google decided last week to shut down an AdSense account I’ve had for several years without issue. The account didn’t even make enough money for them to send me a check because it was on small personal sites and traffic is low. Two months ago I added AdSense for Domains to the account for some domain names I owned but wasn’t using.

The infuriating thing is that Google won’t say why they shut down the account. Just an ominous warning that it poses a “significant risk to our advertisers.” Really!! The account hasn’t made enough money for you to send me a check so you’ll just keep the $75 I earned in referrals. That certainly sounds like a significant risk to your advertisers!

Google claims they can’t say why the account was shut down because it would reveal secrets about their protection mechanisms. Sounds like we need a FISA court for Google so they can prove to an independent 3rd party that their secrets are justifiably secret. Oh, wait, they are a monopoly and don’t answer to anyone.

Doesn’t Google realize that security through obscurity doesn’t work? If their protection algorithms are so strong they shouldn’t have any problem telling me in at least basic terms what caused them to close the account.

Overall, I spend a good deal of money with Google through Gmail, AdWords and other services. I support Google Analytics and Google Checkout by building support for those services into my shopping cart software. This has just left a really bad taste in my mouth. What happens when Google decides that my Analytics integration should be shut down because of some Google secret formula that says it should be shut down? I have to take it because Google says so?

Google, you’re being a petty, evil, dictator.