Does Google impose content restrictions on our posts?

[Muffin]

Will Google ads lead to post censorship?

Does Google withold its ads if posts are not to its liking? Will we lose the ads if we say certain things or speak on certain topics?

If so, then if we become dependant on the ads for revenue, we would have to skip to Google's tune (as TV, radio and print media do) by censoring out content so as to keep Google from droping us.

Admins: a simple question for you. Does Google impose any content requirements or restrictions as part of the agreement to post their ads on our boards, and if so, what are those requirements or restrictions?

[Muffin]

. . . skip to Google's tune (as TV, radio and print media do) . . .To clarify, I should have said "as TV, radio and print media skip to the tune of their advertisers." (Sorry for the muddle -- too early in the morning for coherency.)

[Frank]

Admins: a simple question for you. Does Google impose any content requirements or restrictions as part of the agreement to post their ads on our boards, and if so, what are those requirements or restrictions?
An excellent question. I too am interested in the answer.

[TubaDiva]

If the current crop of hysteria is any indication, Google ads make some people absolutely senseless. But I'm sure that's not what you mean. :)

My understanding (which is not an expert view) is that Google does not index porn sites and refuses business from such sites, though I don't think the SDMB could be considered as such.

I'll refer this question upstairs.

TubaDiva

[Muffin]

Thanks, Tuba. My sheep and I look forward to the answer.

[Ed Zotti]

Will Google ads lead to post censorship?

Does Google withold its ads if posts are not to its liking? Will we lose the ads if we say certain things or speak on certain topics?Don't worry about it. Were Google nutty enough to try to impose censorship, we'd likely discontinue our participation in the program.

[Mr2001]

Google AdSense Program Policies (https://www.google.com/adsense/policies)Site may not include:

* Excessive profanity
* Violence, racial intolerance, or advocate against any individual, group, or organization
* Hacking/cracking content
* Illicit drugs and drug paraphernalia
* Pornography, adult, or mature content
* Gambling or casino-related content
* Excessive advertising
* Any other content that promotes illegal activity or infringes on the legal rights of others
[...]

[Frank]

Google AdSense Program Policies (https://www.google.com/adsense/policies)
* Excessive profanity
Well, s--t! What the f--k?

[asterion]

Well, I give the link about a week then.

[Excalibre]

Google AdSense Program Policies (https://www.google.com/adsense/policies)
So you're saying I shouldn't post my thread asking for advice about selling marijuana to support hacking into government servers in order to help the terrorists so that I can buy prostitutes for entertainment at KKK rallies?

[Left Hand of Dorkness]

So you're saying I shouldn't post my thread asking for advice about selling marijuana to support hacking into government servers in order to help the terrorists so that I can buy prostitutes for entertainment at KKK rallies?
It'd be a gamble.
Daniel

[aldiboronti]

From Google Adsense Terms and Conditions (https://www.google.com/adsense/localized-terms)

" ....... (viii) act in any way that violates any Program Policies posted on the Google Web Site, as may be revised from time to time, or any other agreement between You and Google (including without limitation the Google AdWords program terms), or engage in any action or practice that reflects poorly on Google or otherwise disparages or devalues Google’s reputation or goodwill. You acknowledge that any attempted participation or violation of any of the foregoing is a material breach of this Agreement and that we may pursue any and all applicable legal and equitable remedies against You, including an immediate suspension of Your account or termination of this Agreement, and the pursuit of all available civil or criminal remedies."

Let's say that I decided to start a thread the burden of which was that Google is Evil Incarnate and, in short, sucks. Would you, by the terms of the agreement, be obliged to remove it?

[wolf_meister]

Mr2001
Good research there.

It kind of strikes me funny that Google does not allow profanity or pornography on its Ad-Sense sites. However it seems they have NO problem pandering to the spam merchants who seem to make up the majority of the ads I've seen so far on the SDMB.

Obscenity is in the eye of the beholder.

[Fear Itself]

Will Google ads lead to post censorship? Worse. Google ads lead directly to gun control and confiscation.

[rowrrbazzle]

Google AdSense Program Policies:
Site may not include:

...

* Excessive advertisingRiiiiight.

[ftg]

Worse. Google ads lead directly to gun control and confiscation.

They can pry my hosts file from my cold dead hands.

[SmackFu]

Fuck that Google shit.

[tomndebb]

Let's say that I decided to start a thread the burden of which was that Google is Evil Incarnate and, in short, sucks. Would you, by the terms of the agreement, be obliged to remove it?Well, anything is remotely possible when someone decides to involve a lawyer. However, the agreement is between Google and the Chicago Reader, not the posters of the SDMB. I doubt that permitting an opinion to be voiced by some anonymous voice on a message board would actually violate the agreement. If the Reader (or the SDMB staff) launched some sort of campaign to have Congress or the SEC break up Google or if the Reader specifically planted stories on the SDMB that maligned Google, there might be cause for concern. However, the boys that run Google are pretty net savvy and they understand what message boards and newsgroups are like.
(In addition, if Google took action against the Reader for a thread or two on the SDMB, they would frighten off a lot the potential business from any other free-range message boards and all computer industry boards. Why would they want to shut down that sales channel over some random postings?)

[Derleth]

Quick question: Was "Ask The Gay Guy" mature content?

If you respond to say 'no', how can you be sure?

[Sierra Indigo]

How do google monitor the chosen sites for content? Does someone pop in here anonymously from time-to-time, or is it spider-based?

If it's the latter, does a human then review it, or does the automatic filtering software have a spaz? Because I can see a lot of pit threads, and possibly even some GD threads, that might get busted by a spider.

[Mr2001]

I doubt that permitting an opinion to be voiced by some anonymous voice on a message board would actually violate the agreement. If the Reader (or the SDMB staff) launched some sort of campaign to have Congress or the SEC break up Google or if the Reader specifically planted stories on the SDMB that maligned Google, there might be cause for concern. However, the boys that run Google are pretty net savvy and they understand what message boards and newsgroups are like.
I have Google ads on my message board. They sent me a list of locked threads they objected to (unanswered questions about hacking tools - it's an IRC-related board, so that's to be expected) and I had to delete them.

[Nawth Chucka]

I have Google ads on my message board. They sent me a list of locked threads they objected to (unanswered questions about hacking tools - it's an IRC-related board, so that's to be expected) and I had to delete them.

:eek:

They monitored your board somehow, found 'inappropriate' content for their purposes and then compiled a list to send you w/ the expectation that content would disappear.
*grumble* Don't like the sound of that.

[TubaDiva]

:eek:

They monitored your board somehow, found 'inappropriate' content for their purposes and then compiled a list to send you w/ the expectation that content would disappear.
*grumble* Don't like the sound of that.

The only way you can have content-sensitive ads is by looking at the content to begin with. Google "crawls" a site and looks at threads.

Gee, Google doesn't approve of the dissemination of hacking tools. That's a shock.

TubaDiva

[Muffin]

Don't worry about it. Were Google nutty enough to try to impose censorship, we'd likely discontinue our participation in the program.Thanks Ed. No worries then.

[priapus]

I wonder how long before this tea ends up in the harbor

[Mr2001]

Gee, Google doesn't approve of the dissemination of hacking tools. That's a shock.
Look, I'd have no problem with their request if my board had actually been, you know, disseminating hacking tools. But it wasn't. I locked the threads in question after noting that they were off topic and removing links where applicable, and I would've preferred to leave it at that, because I'd rather not "disappear" content that my users have posted. I got that habit from watching the SDMB moderators, actually.

If a locked thread with one post saying "were kan i get a proggy 2 hack msn" and another saying "This is off-topic. Locked." counts as "hacking/cracking content" in Google's eyes, then how many SDMB threads will have to be disappeared because they mention illicit drugs, mature content, or gambling? Just look at all the locked (and some unlocked) threads that come up if you search GQ for "bong".. if Google sends you a notice, will you delete them all?

[Ed Zotti]

Just look at all the locked (and some unlocked) threads that come up if you search GQ for "bong".. if Google sends you a notice, will you delete them all?Fair question. I wouldn't respond favorably to a request for blanket deletion of posts about drug paraphernalia. If I were asked to delete some thread we'd already removed from view (which is the case with most threads involving porn, illegal acts, etc.), I guess I'd have a hard time getting too honked off about that. If they wanted us to delete closed threads that we felt ought to remain visible for whatever reason, I for one would consider that unreasonable interference in our administration of the site and it's fair to say a period of discussion would ensue. But never mind the hypotheticals - if Google is into micromanagement to the extent you suggest, no doubt we'll have a real world case to deal with soon enough.

[Quartz]

Given the nature of some of the posts in the Pit, perhaps it might be wise to exclude that forum from Google?

[Cervaise]

Google AdSense Program Policies (https://www.google.com/adsense/policies)

Site may not include:

* ... mature contentWell, that one's safe, anyway.

[Ethilrist]

Suppose somebody starts a thread about everybody's favorite porn stars. I've seen it before; it'll happen again. NOBODY POSTS ANY LINKS. Those are the rules.

What shows up down at the bottom of the page? Links to websites with those porn stars' photos on them, in flagrante delecto, as it were?

If so, does that violate the one-click rule?

I may be misinterpreting what those ads are for...