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Google says it will run the ad Facebook won't
Good news from Google: the search giant has accepted our marijuana legalization ads.
The ads were removed by Facebook, which said the ads featuring a marijuana leaf were in violation of its policy – a decision the social networking site made after serving no fewer than 38 million impressions of the ads earlier this month. The ads will begin running on Google’s advertising network immediately.
Google’s decision to run the ads is an affirmation that the search network is mature enough to run ads that are clearly political speech.
Bruce Fein, former Associate Attorney General for President Ronald Reagan and Just Say Now advisory board member, had this to say:
“Facebook’s concocted prissiness over political advocacy is more to be disparaged than imitated. Freedom of expression is made of sterner stuff. Google deserves applause for exposing Facebook to shame.”
Ouch.
These ads were also accepted by Google:
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You can see the censored ads and sign our petition to Facebook protesting their decision here.
39 Comments
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About FDL Action
This is great news. And the ads will likely reach a lot more end users than with facebook.
Good job Jane, Michael et. al.
Cool!
Is fb’s censorship getting any news coverage from corp media?
Yes
NYT, LAT, Reuters, I’d say Mr Whitney’s been busy :D
I just got back from my second job interview today. Unless I’m very much mistaken, come Friday I’m going to have to choose between two jobs. It won’t be a difficult choice and nothing is certain yet but I’m optimistic.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-me-facebook-pot-20100825,0,3709034.story?track=rss
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local-beat/Facebook-Blocks-Pot-Legalization-Ad-101402914.html
There’s also a NYT piece, but I can’t find it right now.
hittin’ the ‘burbs as well :D
I swear, (((Ms Peg))), gonna open a bottle of bubbly in this house when you type the news
Thanks all, for the replies. I clicked on all the links, except yours, cbl2, which didn’t work for me. Good work!!
Now I’m holding my breath for you, as I crossed my fingers & toes this morning.
Excellent news. Hope you have good news very soon.
LMAO! It’s still two days away! You’ll asphyxiate!
Yeah Margaret, that is so great.
Welllll, it was more of a figure of speech. *g*
wooHOOt!
Oh, Margaret, how wonderful. Tell us a little about each job and which you think would be the best fit!
What “policy” is FB citing to justify the denial of the ad? I have seen all sorts of right-wing ads on FB.
Well the first one is supervising a shop in which water purifiers are built. A very green friendly job with civilized hours. The other is supervising a production line making foam plates and food containers. It’s shift work and a long drive. They both pay about the same and have comparable benefits. Obviously I’d rather take the first one but at this time the second sounds more definite. That’s not to say I find the first one too unlikely. As I said, it would be wonderful to have the choice.
P.S. Gave up on science for the time being. I hafta go with what’s available just now…
Signed, and here’s my comment:
Part of the fabric of America is the right of people to express their opinions. While you, facebook, may feel your ownership of the site allows you to preach and prosthelitize – whether by your acceptance of advertising or your denial of it – you can’t.
The reason is that you are now an integral part of how society interacts… how we SPEAK to each other. Much as you might like that development from a business standpoint, it comes with certain responsibilities from an ethical one, specifically, the responsibility to keep free speech free.
You need, facebook, to step up to that responsibility and embrace it and defend it. And if you do that, trust me – the popularity you enjoy now will pale in comparison to that which comes from putting basic rights first.
If you don’t, I’m through with you – and can assure you that I and others will blog about it and encourage a facebook-free day. Then a facebook-free week. Then… who knows? Are you willing to find out? To discover just how quickly someone else – someone without your prejudices and sense that they “own” their users – will step in to fill the void?
CBS News.
Many other links here.
Good work. Free publicity much better than paying for it.
Yes, Facebook’s action while reprehensible is helping to disseminate the message.
So when are the tv appearances on this issue going to happen? Has Just Say Now been contacted by anyone?
How irrelevent did facebook just make itself?
And not doing fb any good in the process. A twofer.
I am unclear regarding precisely where Google ads appear, I never see any.
Good point. I never look at ads, so I didn’t notice, but just checked it out & saw no ads. Odd.
do you use adBlock?
fingers and toes crossed for ya margaret along with hopes ya get job #1
Yes but even disabling it for Google I don’t get ads. Sometimes if I do a search related to a product or service I get some links from paid sponsors but nothing visual.
Pullin’ for ya and sending positive employment thoughts your way.
I get ads on some sites but not on others. I have no idea if I have adblock, as my computer consultant set up my machine, but I don’t remember his ever asking me about it, so I doubt I have it.
I don’t think they’ve made themselves irrelevant. I do think that they’ve seriously harmed their public image. The media is running with this story for some reason. And now that Google has agreed to run the very same content that facebook wouldn’t it makes facebook look even worse.
The fact that they keep flip-flopping around their explanation, though, will hurt them more than anything.
You know the ads that feature on the right side of firedoglake? Those are googleads. They host ad services for millions of websites.
This would be the same Google that’s busily working to gut net neutrality?
Wonderful, will keep fingers crossed for you!
Ah, thanks for the info.
Good news