Google kills ad critical of Bush, lets pro-Bush ads continue running

[MelissaB]

I don't know how old this story is, but it is troubling. I saw this on another website and wanted to make sure you guys had seen it. This is the online research tool that I use for the Daily Thread. Is it leaning to the right? Am I reading this correctly?

Google kills ad critical of Bush, lets pro-Bush ads continue running

By John Byrne
RAW STORY EDITOR

In a stunning move by the fledging search engine firm known for its open access to information, the Google AdWords program has suspended the campaign of an advertiser selling playing cards intended to poke fun at President Bush. The firm halted the campaign for its use of keywords "George Bush," "George W. Bush," "President Bush," "Bush Cards," and "Bush Decks."


It also specifically blocked the ad for the search term "war profiteers."

"At this time, Google policy does not permit the advertisement of websites that contain language that advocates against an individual, group, or organization," a Google email remarked.

Advertisements promoting pro-Bush playing cards continue to run on Google and its affiliate sites, including George Bush Playing Cards, "52 Reasons to Re-elect G.W. Bush," and "Political Playing Cards." Another ad appears for a tamer site selling caricature cards of the President's associates, saying, "George Bush may not have a full deck."

More: http://www.rawstory.com/exclusives/byrne/google_bans_cards.htm

[slor]

1. I love google...

as a search engine, but I will not use them if they follow this course.

[MelissaB]

2. I don't use anything else.

What other choices are there?

[KaliTracy]

3. All The Web (though don't know which side it leans, if any)

alltheweb.com

[KaliTracy]

4. I love google too, and use it most. as the president is something

we aren't supposed to make jokes of, especially those which insinuate harm, could they just be protecting themselves from getting into trouble?

People who use Google ads PAY Google -- it's not the free stuff that spiders and bots are pulling from the web.

Do they have policies on other things, too? I think it would be in their rights to limit advertising that they are being paid to display.

edit:typo

[Peace Patriot]

5. The operative word here is "legal." They got threatened, is my guess.

Further down in the article:

"In a form letter, a Google official made the following statement: 'A different set of laws and regulations apply to commercial speech (advertising) than to the search results we show when you do a Google search. As a business, Google must make decisions about where we draw the line in regards to the advertising we accept, both from a legal and company values perspective.'"

So you can still Google anti-Bush items, but you can't advertise them--is what they're saying.

Do you know the date of this? There is no date on the item at RawStory. And (to my amazement) NO COMMENTS.

This is very, very, very, very, very shocking! Google, the upstarts! Google, the democrats with a small d! It must have been threats from the Bush Cartel.

-----

"...does not permit...language that advocates against an individual, group, or organization..." (in their ads)

My God! So, if the Southern Law Project wants to place an ad exposing the activities of white supremacist groups and the KKK...

or an environmental group wants to place an ad about the dangers of Monsanto's genetically modified foods...

or a union wants to place an ad condemning Walmart for its anti-labor practices...

or a Christian group wants to place an ad criticizing the Chinese government for religious persecution...

or Amnesty International wants to place an ad criticizing the Bush Cartel's torture and murder of prisoners...

or, or, or...

Free speech is dead? Is that it? You can't even BUY it anymore?

-----

Advocating against an individual, group, or organization = protest. What else does "protest" mean? You are seeking to right a wrong COMMITTED BY "an individual, group or organization." If you cannot advocate against "an individual, group or organization," then you cannot protest.

Google has banned PROTEST. I am amazed.

[Peace Patriot]

6. "...from a legal and COMPANY VALUES perspective."!

Company values. All protest, all free speech are banned from their ads. That is a very sick "company value."

Google, Google! We thought we knew you!
It looks like you've lost all your wits.
Google, Google! The heroes of zeroes!
Next you'll be charging for hits.

[Peace Patriot]

7. And guess what Netflix is doing?

They're running a banner ad for WALMART at their site, and have signed onto a mutual promotion deal with these anti-labor, community-destroying, global predators!!!

[MelissaB]

8. I'm wondering if this was around election time.

I guess I could PM lalaraw.

[Cocoa]

9. Google recently hired Dan Senor

V.P. of Global Communications.

I'm going to have to wean myself away from Google...

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2005/05/16/story3.html

[New Earth]

10. that's disgusting

i love google - i don't want to use anything else. i thought they were kind of 'known' to be liberal? just the impression i had.

[Vektor]

11. Google is a 100% Democratic donor/supporter.

They donated $71,500 to Democrats during the 2003-2004 election year. Not one red cent to Republicans.
Read here:
http://www.buyblue.org/detail.php?corpId=24

[mirandapriestly]

12. If you type"moron" or "incompetent"

the first hit is a Bush website, so I'm not too worried.