I checked this email and even checked full headers and from them it seemed that I was supposed to be the intended receipient. Here's the email:
Google AdSense: Action required to comply with AdSense program policies. From: [email protected] To: [email protected]
Hello, This is a warning message to alert you that there is action required to bring your AdSense account into compliance with our AdSense program policies. We’ve provided additional details below, along with the actions to be taken on your part. Affected website: clubcatcher.com Example page where violation occurred: http://new.clubcatcher.com/m Action required: Please make changes immediately to your site to follow AdSense program policies. Current account status: Active
Violation explanation Publishers may not implement Google ads in a manner that disguises the ads in any way. In order to maintain a good user experience, it is important for publishers to clearly distinguish Google ads from site content. This includes, but is not limited to: site layouts in which the ads push content below the fold on mobile devices; placing 300x250 or larger ad units above the fold on a mobile optimized site.
In order to remain fully compliant please ensure that your site and ad layout remain compliant across all devices. More information about this policy can be found in our help center and on this short video.
How to resolve: If you received a notification in regard to page content, we request that you immediately remove Google ads from the violating pages. If you are unable to, or unsure of how to remove the ads from these pages, or would like to continue monetizing the page with Google ads, please modify or remove the violating content to meet our AdSense policies. If you received a notification in regards to the way ads are implemented on your site, please make the necessary changes to your implementation. You do not need to contact us if you make changes. Please be aware that if additional violations are accrued, ad serving may be disabled to the website listed above. You should immediately take time to review your pages with Google ads to ensure that they comply with our policies. Additionally, please be aware that the URL above is just an example and that the same violations may exist on other pages of this website or other sites that you own. To reduce the likelihood of future warnings from us, we suggest that you review all your sites for compliance. Here are some useful resources you might be interested in. AdSense policy FAQs Using site: search to find violations Recommended solutions for policing your content Content filtering For more information regarding our policy warning notifications, visit our Help Center. We thank you in advance for your cooperation. Sincerely, The Google AdSense Team
Now what's awkward about this is that I haven't made any coding updates to my website in a very long time. The only updates made to the site were made by the photographer, but all he does is adds pictures and sets titles. That alone isn't enough to change the layout to the point where the ads shift drastically.
Once I received this letter, I instantly removed the ad from the mobile homepage (at http://new.clubcatcher.com/m).
The only reasoning I could come across from all this would be that (sorry if I'm doing bold but google needs to hear this...) I believe google decided to increase their viewport window when scanning mobile pages for compliance thereby making it more difficult for publishers to monetize ads from all devices both new and old. I believe this is because google believes only new technology should be used and that old should be disregarded. This is further proven by their help pages not loading correctly in older web browsers.
And If I'm right about the viewport issue from google's end, then is there something I can get from google (like a script or something) that I can apply to my site that allows it to know exactly the viewport google uses so that everytime google updates adsense bot with a bigger viewport, my site always ends up in compliance instead of me getting new warning letters to manually push the big ads below the fold?
And if google didn't do anything to the viewport, then did someone hack adsense? or did google add an extra policy recently that I need to be aware of?
Just remember, I have not made changes to the layout of the website in months and I suddenly received this email now.
and also, I'm curious. Why wouldn't google provide a snapshot of the violation and attach it to my email for me to see?