✿ Islamic Ruling on Earning Through Fake Clicks on a Website ✿
My income is generated through website visitors and advertisements, and the content on the site contains nothing unethical. I get paid based on clicks, and the payment varies depending on the country of the visitors. I use a VPN to simulate traffic from countries like the USA and Israel by clicking on the ads myself, which increases my earnings. This action, according to me, does not harm any individual but only affects Google and those countries financially. Is this practice permissible?
Esteemed Scholar: Ḥāfiẓ Khidr Ḥayāt ḥafiẓahullāh
This act is considered a form of deception, as it causes harm not only to Google but also to the companies that advertise through Google. These advertising companies aim to reach genuine consumers, but fake clicks generate illusory and misleading visitors, which is un-Islamic and impermissible.
In Islam, there is no allowance for deceit, whether it is against Muslims or non-Muslims. Although the affected parties—such as Google or the advertising companies—may be non-Muslim, Islam teaches truthfulness, integrity, and transparency. Therefore, adopting such methods is not permissible in Shariah.
❖ Question:
My income is generated through website visitors and advertisements, and the content on the site contains nothing unethical. I get paid based on clicks, and the payment varies depending on the country of the visitors. I use a VPN to simulate traffic from countries like the USA and Israel by clicking on the ads myself, which increases my earnings. This action, according to me, does not harm any individual but only affects Google and those countries financially. Is this practice permissible?
❖ Answer by:
Esteemed Scholar: Ḥāfiẓ Khidr Ḥayāt ḥafiẓahullāh
This act is considered a form of deception, as it causes harm not only to Google but also to the companies that advertise through Google. These advertising companies aim to reach genuine consumers, but fake clicks generate illusory and misleading visitors, which is un-Islamic and impermissible.
In Islam, there is no allowance for deceit, whether it is against Muslims or non-Muslims. Although the affected parties—such as Google or the advertising companies—may be non-Muslim, Islam teaches truthfulness, integrity, and transparency. Therefore, adopting such methods is not permissible in Shariah.
