What constitutes 'click fraud' that violates AdSense policies?

Click fraud, as defined by AdSense policies, encompasses any activity intended to artificially inflate ad revenue by generating invalid clicks or impressions. This includes a variety of fraudulent behaviors, such as a publisher clicking on their own ads repeatedly, encouraging others to click on their ads, using automated clicking tools (bots), or participating in click exchange programs. Click fraud also includes any activity that deceptively generates clicks, such as creating misleading ad placements or designing a website in a way that encourages accidental clicks. The intention behind click fraud is to artificially increase the number of clicks on ads, which in turn increases the publisher's revenue without genuine user interest. Google has sophisticated systems in place to detect click fraud and will penalize accounts engaging in such activities, potentially leading to account suspension or termination. The core principle is that all ad clicks should originate from genuine user interest in the advertised product or service, not from any deceptive or artificial means.