I was trying to help Bartcop make a little extra money on his site with Google AdSense. Google pays sites by the click to advertise their stuff and since Bartcop reaches hundreds of thousands of people - I figured it was a good match. Since Bartcop is technologically challenged - I applied to google for him. This is their response:
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From: "Google AdSense"
Subject: Google AdSense Account Status
Hello,
Thank you for your interest in Google AdSense. After reviewing your
application, our program specialists have found that the website
currently associated with your account does not comply with our
policies. Therefore, we're unable to accept you into Google AdSense at
this time.
We did not approve your application for the reasons listed below. If
you are able to resolve these issues, please feel free to reply to
this email for reconsideration when you have made the changes.
Issues:
- Sensitive content
- Inappropriate language
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Further detail:
Sensitive content: Google believes strongly in freedom of expression
and offers broad access to content across the web without censoring
search results. At the same time, we reserve the right to exercise
discretion when reviewing sites for AdSense. We've found that your
website contains content that we don't allow at this time. AdSense
policy doesn't currently accept sites that advocate against any
individual, group, or organization. Please review our policies
(https://www.google.com/adsense/policies for a complete list of site
content not allowed on web pages.
Inappropriate language: We've found that your website contains content
that isn't in compliance with our program policies. We don't allow
websites with excessive profanity or potentially offensive content to
participate in Google AdSense. Please review our policies
(https://www.google.com/adsense/policies) for a complete list of site
content not allowed on web pages.
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For a complete list of AdSense criteria, please visit:
https://www.google.com/adsense/policies
https://www.google.com/adsense/terms
If you would like to submit another website for consideration, simply
reply to this email and provide us with the URL. If this new website
complies with our program policies, we will help you start delivering
AdWords ads in minutes.
Please contact us at adsense-support@google.com if you have any
questions.
Regards,
The Google Team
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I strongly encourage Bartcop readers to email adsense-support@google.com and protest this. Basically - what Google is saying here is that they don't consider the type of people who read Bartcop to be worth reaching for advertizing purposes. That no one they represent has a product that Bartcop readers would be interested in.
They claim this isn't cencorship - but come on! It doesn't take a genius to figure out what's going on here.
"Basically - what Google is saying here is that they don't consider the type of people who read Bartcop to be worth reaching for advertizing purposes."
Makes sense to me, Them Google's are smart people!
It would be interesting to do a survey of all the sites enrolled in adsense (don't ask me how to do that!) and see how many of them advocate against liberal causes or individuals or organizations. If that number is > 0, then it woule be clear that Google is simply using its policy to enforce a political position.
Posted by: DavidD at February 23, 2004 09:20 AMYes - good idea. We should look for pro Bush right wing sites to see if the are being paid by Google. Or - if they aren't perhaps join with them in complaining about Google. Censoring both equally is still censorship.
Posted by: Marc Perkel at February 23, 2004 09:26 AMStill happily cashing my Google checks...
Hope they never realize that I live on your server. I'll probably get canned. Guilt by association, you know.
Posted by: Andrea at February 23, 2004 11:09 PMActually, I was able to find tons of anti-Bush sites with AdSense (including at least one that sold "I HATE GEORGE BUSH" t-shirts!) but they wouldn't accept http://defeatjohnjohn.com/ because it was anti-Kerry.
And my site is far milder than the anti-Bush ones -- I mean geez I'm not even a Republican.
Posted by: John at August 9, 2004 04:42 PM