What exactly do they mean, surely they are not talking about modals. Like in my case I have a signup/login button at the top right of the navbar that appears on every page. When a user clicks, a modal appear with the signup/login form. Am I now violating policies, because ads appear on the page beneath the modal?

Also at the end of the blog post is a link to an unrelated topic, buying traffic, that is interesting, [support.google.com...]

I really think it's about ad scripts that automatically triggers extra browser tabs / windows without user triggers. I always thought the definition is pretty obvious.

That clarifies it 100%, and i'm surprised to see some shady sites still using that tactic.

To simplify our policies, we are no longer permitting the placement of Google ads on pages that are loaded as a pop-up or pop-under. Additionally, we do not permit Google ads on any site that contains or triggers pop-unders, regardless of whether Google ads are shown in the pop-unders.

https://support.google.com/adsense/answer/1346295?hl=en#Ads_on_a_site_with_pop-ups

ADDED
Here's a key point to note which may be more difficult for Publishers to police.

It is your responsibility to ensure that no ad network or affiliates use such methods to direct traffic to pages that contain your AdSense code.

[edited by: engine at 1:56 pm (utc) on Jul 20, 2017]

Hmph. If only Adsense was as concerned about the standard of publisher earnings as it is about the standard of traffic referrals.

Interesting, I somehow thought this was always a rule.

But here's the thing, until Google confirmed it, it was fair game, for some.

Here's a key point to note which may be more difficult for Publishers to police.

It is your responsibility to ensure that no ad network or affiliates use such methods to direct traffic to pages that contain your AdSense code.

Yeah that seems like it could be a real issue.

I imagine we'll see more ad restrictions in accordance with the upcoming Chrome browser implementation of The Initial Better Ads Standards [betterads.org]

I'm only surprised there are/were people who thought this wasn't always a plain common sense issue. Don't do stupid stuff.

Setting aside AdSense - pop-ups/pop-unders are a very poor user experience. AdSense is/were "allegedly" very BIG on user experience.

Do stupid stuff? You pay the consequences.

IMO they should include Page Level Ads to that ban. I've encountered several mobile publishers who size the viewport so the X is not in view. The user almost certainly clicks the ad in an effort to close it.

It is your responsibility to ensure that no ad network or affiliates use such methods to direct traffic to pages that contain your AdSense code.

It sounds like adsense made it easy for anyone to attack any site that has adsense on it? This is not something that mid level publisher could or would monitor or deal with.

It sounds like adsense made it easy for anyone to attack any site that has adsense on it

It's also saying "Don't advertise your sites on dodgy ad networks that use pop-ups... Advertise on a reputable network, like Adsense!"

Sounds reasonable to me. I'd like to see them ban interstitial ads, too, with no exceptions for premium publishers. (But I doubt that will happen, because they'd be ceding ad space to competitors.)

Yes and sites like forbes has pop ups, ppp unders, full screen popups, adverts popup before you can access content and the list goes on. The still stay top. stop the lies google

@30K_a_month - the announcement usually proceeds the action.

Did the source document change. I thought it banned adsense on pages that triggered pop ups or pop unders. Now when I read it again it says adsense is banned on pages that trigger pop unders only.

Adsense is not allowed in the pop under or pop up. I wonder if this was done to avoid confusion with sign up pop-ups etc that are frequently seen on larger sites. And possibly those larger sites pushed back.

Regardless I am not a fan of pop ups or pop unders.