Freedom of (some) expression is supported.

I wonder if advertising products used in the exercise of other constitutionally protected rights are in violation of their guidelines.

——

Subject: Re: Your Google AdWords Approval Status 
From: “Joe Huffman” joeh@boomershoot.org
Date: Tue, February 10, 2004 0:45
To:  

I read your “Editorial Guidelines” prior to making making my ad.  I could
not find any restrictions on the product we are delivering, and even after
reading your letter below I am at a loss for your disabling of my
keywords.  We do not sell firearms or ammunition.  We offer training and
opportunity for practice to owners of long range precision rifles.  We
have police snipers, military, and former military personal attending and
teaching at our events.  How do you suggest we reach this audience through
Google AdWords without using some of the keywords you have disabled?

Regards,

Joseph Huffman
Event Director
—-
http://www.boomershoot.org

> Hello Joseph,
>
> Thank you for advertising with Google AdWords. After reviewing your
> account, I have found that one or more of your ads or keywords does not
> meet our guidelines. The results are outlined in the report below.
>
> ———————————————-
> Campaign: ‘PPS Boomershoot,’ Ad Group: ‘PPS Boomershoot’
> ———————————————-
>
> KEYWORD(S): 50 cal sniper rifle, 50 caliber sniper rifle, accurate
> rifle, competition rifle, high power rifle, long range rifle, precision
> rifle, rifle event, rifle range, sniper rifle, tactical rifle
>
> Action taken: Disapproved
> Issue(s): Unacceptable content as keyword
> ~~~~~~~~~
>
> SUGGESTIONS:
> -> Keywords: Google policy does not permit the advertisement
> of “firearms and ammunition”. This content is not permitted as ad text
> or keywords. We have therefore disabled the keyword(s) listed above.
>
>
>
>
> ———————
> Please read below for definitions of the issues I found:
>
> Unacceptable content as keyword: In keeping with Google policy, we do
> not permit advertisers to use certain content as keywords for their
> Google AdWords campaigns. Google believes strongly in freedom of
> expression and therefore offers broad access to content across the web
> without censoring search results. Please note that the decisions we make
> concerning advertising in no way affect the search results we deliver.
>
>
> ———————
>
> If a keyword has been disapproved, your ad(s) will no longer be
> displayed for searches on this keyword.
>
> If an ad has been suspended, please edit it based on our suggestions,
> and then save your changes to automatically resubmit the ad for review.
> We’re confident that these changes will improve your ad performance and
> increase your return on investment.
>
> Our goal is to help you reach your target audience and maximize your
> investment. All ads are reviewed by AdWords Specialists to ensure that
> our advertisers create successful, high-impact advertising in keeping
> with our program’s Editorial Guidelines.
>
> For more information about our ad requirements, please read the AdWords
> Editorial Guidelines at:
> https://adwords.google.com/select/guidelines.html
>
> Please feel free to email us at adwords-support@google.com if you have
> any further questions or concerns. We look forward to providing you with
> the most effective advertising available.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> The Google AdWords Team

“Assault weapon” ban — they don’t have any clue what they are talking about.

If only the politicians and the reporters would be factual and accurate we could have a rational discussion on the topic.  But expecting people to be rational is irrational.

I’m probably jousting with windmills again.

—-

Subject: Re: Assault weapons ban back in play.
From: Joe Huffman
To: eepstein@sfchronicle.com
Date: Tue, February 10, 2004 0:17

I just read your February 9th article:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/02/09/MNGH04S1DU1.DTL

I would like to point out some errors for your future reference:

1) There is no such thing as “automatic ammunition clips”.  You probably
are referring to a “magazine” which is commonly, and mistakenly, called a
clip.  The law does refer to a “detachable magazine”.  And this detachable
magazine is required for it to be an “assault weapon”, not one of two
features from the list.  See
http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/laws/majorlaw/h3355_en.htm for more
details.

2) You make reference “the banned AR-15 assault rifle”.  Again there is no
such thing.  An “assault rifle” is a fully automatic rifle.  The AR-15 is
a semi-automatic firearm.  See

http://www.boomershoot.org/general/ScaryWords.htm#AssaultWeapons or

http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/Assault.htm

for more details.

3) Feinstein and Schumer pick their words very carefully to avoid lying
but yet be deceptive.  The “guns recovered from crimes” is not the same as
what is implied in your article.  These are not guns that were used to
commit crimes because it includes guns that were recovered stolen
property.  The “assault weapons”, as defined by Federal law are used in a
such a small portion of crimes that any measurable reduction in crime by
their complete removal from the planet would be lost in the noise of year
to year fluctuations.  The politicians pushing the “assault weapon ban”
know this and are careful to avoid the topic.

See also: http://www.clintongunban.com/

Regards,

Joe Huffman
Senior Research Scientist II
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

NRA Certified Firearms Instructor

Boomershoot Event Director
—-
http://www.boomershoot.org
http://www.joehuffman.org