Social computing researchers have lately been investigating the use of games to produce useful work, i.e., structuring games so that they produce work as a byproduct of play. The most well-known example is the ESP Game, where two people look at the same image and try to guess matching image labels without any communication outside the game -- the useful work being the labels produced. (I should note that it's controversial whether the labels produced by the ESP Game are actually worthwhile, but that detail isn't important here.)
Here's an interesting variation: freerice.com. This is a vocabulary quiz game, complete with a numeric assessment of your "vocab level". (This blogger hovers around 41.) But it's also a way to convert dollars generated by advertising -- you're shown three ads along with each word -- into food for the needy.
I wonder if the advertisers on this site are being taken for a ride. What are the click-through rates compared to other websites?
Probably cost per click, not impression...
The advertisers are likely not paying on a CPM (cost per thousand impressions) basis, so the clickthrough rate wouldn't matter much to the advertiser. Current web advertising tends to be sold on a CPC (cost per click) or CPA (cost per action) basis. Technically, if you play and don't click on an ad, you didn't actually make them any money to give the UN. Presumably though, enough people click on the ads and/or buy things to result in the advertised "1 word = 10 grains" rate.
I've clicked through the ads
I've clicked through the ads a few times, and all other things being equal I'll click-through and then purchase products that I need, just to be able to support these types of sites. So anecdotally it's working.
Interesting!
Wow -- I had never heard of this site before. When I was playing the game, I was focused on the words, not the ads. I actually had to stop and look for the ads (the ads are on the bottom of the page).