You have complete control over which networks can appear (though they are all enabled by default..) though it would be nice to have a better understanding of how each network is performing. That way you are able to at least make an informed decision! Google also says that the third-party ad networks that support better targeting and therefore more relevant ads based on the content on your site will not necessarily be able to use that functionality unless they adhere to Google’s privacy standards.
Overall, this is an interesting move by Google – it could allow them to become the “operating system” of online advertising. There is an abundance of advertising space available online. Unlike the offline world where ad space was in short supply; there are more ad impressions online than can actually be sold and if Google can fine tune the platform to display ads from the best performing networks then more people will want to use the Adsense platform over others.
It may also help them argue that rather than having a monopoly position in the online advertising space they are a facilitator of online advertising though that would be a stretch 😉
[image credit: Phil_NZ]
