Reply from Google re Gun Ads

[anchored]

Google just sent me this reply to an email asking about gun ads:

Hello,

Thank you for your email. I apologize for the delay in responding to you.
You may post this reply in the forum if you wish.

As noted in our advertising terms and conditions, Google reserves the
right to exercise editorial discretion when it comes to the advertising we
accept on our site. At this time we do not allow ads for websites that
sell guns or related products.

Google believes strongly in freedom of expression and therefore offers
broad access to content across the web without censoring results. Please
note that the decisions we make concerning advertising in no way affect
the search results we deliver. We will continue to show search results for
guns and related products.

Sincerely,

Alana
The Google AdWords Team

Original Message Follows:
------------------------
From: [email protected]
Subject: AdWords user feedback: Ad Content
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 07:26:36 -0800

User ID: guest
Category: other
--------------------------
On a gun-related discussion forum I
frequent, some people have advocated a
boycott of Google because they say you
do not allow gun-related
advertisements. I was wondering if this
were true or not, especially since I'm
developing a gun auction site that I
will need to advertise soon. I haven't
seen any ads for gun dealers or
accessories, but I may not have been
looking in the right places. Also, may
I post you reply in the forum?
(http://www.thehighroad.org)

 

[mrsMTN]

That was a non-answer if I ever saw one.

 

[synoptic]

Sure looks like an answer to me..

Q: "Do you allow gun ads?"
A: No, we do not accept advertisements for sites selling guns and gun related materials. BUT, we do not censor searches for any content...etc

They answered the question that was asked, and even went on to verify that they do not censor web searches.

 

[Chipperman]

At least they were very up front about it.

 

[biere]

Ah yes, google got a lot of attention months ago on this.

I can't believe they have a problem with some slightly gun related stuff but do happen to offer lots of advertisements of the adult type.

I run lots of searches and am always astounded at how some phrase I use can mean so many things. What is a tad more disturbing is some of the advertisements that come along with the search results.

 

[Zundfolge]

Google reserves the
right to exercise editorial discretion when it comes to the advertising we accept on our site. At this time we do not allow ads for websites that sell guns or related products.

Yet we sell ad space to people who sell products for you to insert into various orificus of you or your lovers and friends, Doctors who will kill your unborn children, prostitutes, sellers of software to use to violate copyright laws, and all the porn merchants you'd ever need.




Don't get me wrong, I believe they should be able to do (or not do) business with whomever they wish ... just don't act like morality is the reason for your choices.

 

[blades67]

I can't believe they have a problem with some slightly gun related stuff but do happen to offer lots of advertisements of the adult type.

It's all about the Benjamins.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Now you know why Google is my search engine of last choice.

 

[Sven]

What are some other search engines I can check out?

 

[hso]

If they don't filter content (their search engine returns all the available gun sites) and they don't accept gun advertising to direct you to sites that bought that ad space why is this a bad thing? They're giving us all the information, but without the garbage ads I don't want to see anyway. If they filtered the content I'd be annoyed.

 

[Zundfolge]

Don't stop using Google as a search engine. Every time you use them you use their bandwidth (which costs them money)

just don't do business with businesses that buy ad space (and make sure you tell those businesses why you aren't doing business with them).

Then you're using up their resources without compensating them



I don't really have a problem with Google's gun ad policy (except that they are acting all holier then thou about it).

As long as Google doesn't actively lobby for gun control laws then I don't care what they do (that's what the free market is all about).

 

[Wildalaska]

What Zund said

WildidontusegoogleanywayiuseinktomiAlaska

 

[Khornet]

Maybe it's about

LIABILITY. Maybe the legal risk is too much for them, not an unreasonable thought when today you can be sued for anything and nothing at all.

 

[chink]

It is a companies right to not want peoples money. I don't have a problem with Google not wanting money from Firearm related companies

As several people have already said, as long as they don't filter the searches I will continue to use them.

 

[benewton]

I'm seconding hso on this one.

 

[Russ]

What hso said. I'm thirding him on this one!

 

[WyldOne]

prostitutes, sellers of software to use to violate copyright laws

For real??

Aww, I must be doing the wrong kinds of searches. Or...something. I've never seen those ads before.

And as far as the "doctors who kill your unborn children" thingy, I saw an ad for Abortion Alternatives also; which, I assume, would be a good thing.

 

[Zundfolge]

do a search for "escort services" and "dvd copying software"

There's your "prostitutes, sellers of software to use to violate copyright laws" and don't give me that semantical argument that "escort service" doesn't equal "prostitute" ... while there are probably some escort services that forbid their employees of accepting money for sex, most are just fronts for prostitution ... [seinfield voice]not that there's anything wrong with that[/seinfield voice]


again, I don't care who they sell or don't sell ad space too, I just object to them not carrying firearm related advertising based on "moral grounds"

as a gun owner I'm insulted by their insinuation that prostitutes, abortion doctors and video pirates are somehow more "moral" then all of us.

 

[WyldOne]

and don't give me that semantical argument that "escort service" doesn't equal "prostitute" ... while there are probably some escort services that forbid their employees of accepting money for sex, most are just fronts for prostitution

Dude....I was just having this conversation last night! LOL stop spying

as a gun owner I'm insulted by their insinuation that prostitutes, abortion doctors and video pirates are somehow more "moral" then all of us.

Wow. Yeah, good point.

 

[spacemanspiff]

you mean the escort would have had SEX with me???

no wonder she was confused by my 'dinner and a movie' date.