According to Cybersocket Publisher Morgan Sommer, Commission Junction deemed the website obscene, despite the fact that it hosts no adult content directly on the site but merely links to adult sites.
“In accordance with the Commission Junction Publisher Service Agreement, you have been removed from the CJ Network for placing your banners and/or links on [an] obscene site,” read an email from Commission Junction, adding, “… your earnings have been forfeited.”
Sommer told XBiz he never saw the aforementioned Service Agreement. He said Commission Junction has ignored Cybersocket’s requests for clarification on the issue and broke off contact with his company.
“My editor and my office manager both tried contacting them,” Sommer said. “They declined to define the word ‘obscene’ when my editor called and told my office manager, ‘This matter is closed.’”
Sommer said that Commission Junction owes Cybersocket money for revenue generated by the site, but he does not plan to pursue the money.
“I just want to warn everyone in the industry not to be a member of a program processed through Commission Junction,” Sommer told XBiz. “I’ve gotten lots of responses from people who’ve experienced the same thing but thought they were too small to complain.
“Anybody using [Commission Junction] needs to get on the stick because their affiliates will be cancelled without them having any ability to control it.”
Sommer said he is unable to understand Commission Junction’s decision because the program continues to carry several adult membership sites.
“They’re obviously going after the little guy because they think we won’t fight back,” Sommer said. “One wonders is they make a [practice] of kicking off smaller sites to pocket money that should be paid out.
“Apparently, you just have to be gay or say you support porn [to be considered obscene],” he said.
Cybersocket.com offers articles, reviews, webmaster resources and search tools specifically aimed at the gay and lesbian online community.
A Commission Junction representative did not immediately return a call from XBiz.