Thank you for advertising with Google AdWords.
After reviewing your account, I have found that your
site does not meet our guidelines. The results are
outlined in the report below.
At this time, Google policy does not permit the advertisement
of "Hate" websites that contain "language
that advocates against an individual, group, or organization
(McDonald's)". As noted in our advertising
terms and conditions, we reserve the right to exercise
editorial discretion when it comes to the advertising
we accept on our site.
Sincerely,
The Google AdWords Team
Ed. Reply: Thank you for policing the content
of my website. After review, it seems that I may have,
indeed, accidentally expressed an opinion. And it
may have even been critical towards McDonalds. God
forbid. Combine those dangerous opinions with a few
inflammatory facts (taken from one of those notoriously
unreliable NY Times bestsellers no less, Fast
Food Nation) and I can see why my ad should have
been “suspended”. If just one of the ten
people who read my site decided not to buy a McGriddle
sandwich, then that is economic injury to an American
business I am responsible for! I hope one of the minimum
wage workers they shuffle in for 10 hours a week does
not get fired because McD’s can’t afford
to pay him. Then again, it is likely that worker would
have been shot in a robbery. Maybe I saved a life!
Oh, who am I kidding- probably not.
Even if McDonald’s is indirectly responsible,
oh hell, let’s just say directly responsible
for the death, pain, suffering, undermining, and crippling
of people, animals, and free-market economies, that
is no reason for me to go off on the McGriddle! I
have never even had one. I am only reticent to go
in and buy one because gallons of blood on the floor
make me squeamish, even the metaphorical kind.
I guess Thomas Friedman, who is usually right
about nothing, was dead-on when he asked if Google
was God in a recent op/ed. I apologize to you and
the trouble I have caused for the people who review
ad content. But since a person who reviews the ad
content for appropriateness actually took the trouble
to click through it and read the site, my total number
of readers is now 11. Thanks.
While I work on changing the content of my site,
I temporarily changed the ad to read “We love
the McGriddle. Read why while you still can.”
The only problem I have is that my regretful piece
about the McGriddle was part of a column urging people
to “resist things”. So what do I put there,
now? In light of this recent experience, I am thinking
about going after Amnesty International. I assume
there would be no problem with that? Until then, I
will continue to look to Google ads for principled
advertisers, especially when searching for “ass
fisting” and “used condoms”, which
brings up 17 paid advertisers alone. |
