With all of the spaghetti code in sponsors' backends for promotools -- updating to HTTPS/TLS can be a complex and lengthy process. We just did this a few months ago it was not easy.

Google may not even realize the mess they have created -- but what the fuck to they care? Google is in business to sell search ads and Android ad tracking systems.

Yeah, after having to mess around with dual HTTP/HTTPS functionality on my relatively small site, I do have an appreciation for how much of a headache it would be to add (AND properly test for all edge cases) HTTPS capability to a more complex setup.

Still doesn't excuse them ignoring affiliates. Years ago I had to resort to calling a number in their WHOIS entry just so they'd talk to me.

Well after the frustration with the affiliate program yesterday, have to give them props, we did manage to establish proper communication, and they've subsequently set up a new certificate to allow HTTPS to be used on the domain. Do have to do some testing to make sure that promo content still works as expected when delivered via HTTPS, but it looks good so far.

Of course this all happened after I had spent some time writing the custom HTTPS proxy. :disgust But I did manage to get that working, so my site including promo iframes is now 100% HTTPS and is no longer tainted with warnings about insecure content. My referred hit counts are already going back up.