In article <c0lj5u$rno$1@pencil.math.missouri.edu>, Green Jihad says...

Google Bans Environmental Group's Ads    
Thu Feb 12, 9:19 PM ET  


By MICHAEL LIEDTKE, AP Business Writer 

SAN FRANCISCO - Online search engine leader Google has banned the ads
of an environmental group protesting a major cruise line's sewage
treatment methods, casting a spotlight on the policies  and power 
of the popular Web site's lucrative marketing program.

Oceana, a 2 1/2-year-old nonprofit group, said Google dropped the
text-based ads displayed in shaded boxes along the right side of its
Web page because they were critical of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

Washington D.C.-based Oceana believes Royal Caribbean pollutes the
oceans by improperly treating the sewage on its ships. It hoped to
publicize its complaints by paying to have its ads appear when terms
like "cruise vacation" and "cruise ship" were entered into Google's
search engine.

The ad, which said "Help us protect the world's oceans," appeared for
two days last week before Google pulled it from its page.

When Oceana challenged the ban, Mountain View, Calif.-based Google
responded with an e-mail advising the group that it doesn't accept ads
with "language that advocates against Royal Caribbean."

Oceana's ad didn't mention Royal Caribbean directly, but the link
directed Google visitors to a Web page critical of the Miami-based
cruise line.

The decision stunned Oceana because it reeked of censorship and
favoritism, said Andrew Sharpless, the group's chief executive.

"We were surprised because the answer they gave certainly raises the
question whether they got a phone call from Royal Caribbean,"
Sharpless said Thursday. "We can't prove that, but it certainly smells
that way."

Both Google and Royal Caribbean denied there was any pressure applied
to remove the Oceana ad.

Google's policy prohibits ads criticizing other groups or companies,
said spokeswoman Cindy McCaffrey. "We do reserve the right to exercise
editorial discretion when it comes to the advertising we accept on our
site," she said.

Google's ad policies don't affect the noncommercial results that the
search engine delivers using a closely guarded formula.

Oceana's ad probably would be accepted by Yahoo!, which operates a
similar online marketing program through its Overture subsidiary.
Overture accepts critical ads, as long as they aren't obscene or
libelous, said company spokeswoman Jennifer Stephens. "We see it as a
freedom of speech issue," she said.

The ads have become a big moneymaker for Google, providing the company
with hundreds of millions of dollars to expand its operations and
technology.

As a privately held company, Google doesn't disclose its financial
results, but its revenue last year is believed to have ranged between
$700 million and $1 billion. The company is expected to go public
later this year.

Google's ad rates have been steadily rising as advertisers have
discovered the value of having their Web links prominently displayed
under search terms related to their businesses.

The marketing program, which Google calls "AdWords," also has caused
headaches for the company.

American Blind and Wallpaper Factory recently filed a trademark
infringement lawsuit against Google because the search engine allows
rival merchants to display their ads alongside the terms "American
wallpaper" and "American blind."

Google also has come under fire for displaying ads from unlicensed
pharmacies that sell painkillers. Google hopes to have a system in
place to block the unlicensed pharmacy ads in the near future,
McCaffrey said.