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In April Google sent out notices to AdWords advertisers stating that a new policy meant that unqualified pharmacy ads would be dropped in mid-May. On June 1 we noticed a qualitative difference in the ads for opiate pain killers. The "no prescription, online consultation, next-day delivery" ads have been replaced with Canadian pharmacy ads. Apparently Google is finally weeding out many rogue pharmacies, which they promised to do six months ago. Unfortunately, you don't have to drill down very far in the main index to find those same rogue pharmacies. Google has stated that they won't touch the main index results, so it remains to be seen whether this situation will improve. |
Update 2003-12-21: What the hell is taking so long?
When we learned three weeks ago that Google was planning on
curtailing AdWords from rogue pharmacies, we moved this page to our
archives. Now we're moving it back to the front, because Google is having
a hard time withdrawing from all the money they're making. We're also
upset over Google's remarkable luck with press spin. Many headlines and
stories we've seen imply that Google is the crusading good guy on this
issue. In fact, Google is the last holdout. Even after AOL, Microsoft,
Yahoo and Overture just said "no" to rogue online pharmacies,
Google's Larry Page was quoted in the Wall Street Journal (October
31) as calling the campaign against rogue pharmacies "highly commercially
motivated," and even claimed that he was protecting consumers, rather than
getting teenagers addicted to opiates: "As a matter of principle,
we want to have free choice for consumers ... even if we get some hassles
for it." He should have just admitted that Google is making tons of money
off of rogue pharmacy ads. If those ads aren't gone by the time Congress
holds hearings on the issue, we hope Mr. Page will be invited to explain
himself.San Diego Union-Tribune (2003-12-20) Letter to Congress (2004-02-11) According to DEA, Google is breaking the law: "Title 21, United States Code, section 843(b) defines a communication facility as 'any and all public and private instrumentalities used or useful in the transmission of writing, signs, signals, pictures or sounds of all kinds and includes mail, telephone, wire, radio, and all other means of communication.' Anyone who uses the Internet to facilitate the illegal sale of a controlled substance would be in violation of 21 U.S.C. 843(b), which is punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than four years and a fine of not more than $30,000. This provision could apply to owners of Internet sites, prescribers, pharmacists, and patients." Hey, hey DEA, don the flak jackets, raid the Googleplex, and cart off all PCs that handle rogue pharmacy AdWords accounts. Nothing else will get Google to stop these ads. |
Stanford should have told Sergey and Larry
to take a few liberal arts courses...
Google says: "Don't be evil." Presumably this means that Google strives to be good. Their well-considered philosophy is reflected foremost in their stringent policies regarding the ads they accept on their site.
Ads from licensed gun dealers are instantly rejected, for example.
Here's another example of an evil ad that was rejected by Google.
This evil, evil person was selling anti-Bush bumper stickers with a
"W" inside of a circle! Google scolded him for "language that advocates
against an individual, group, or organization."
If this confuses you, then perhaps more clues will help. Be advised that drugs make more money for Google than gun ads would:
2003-12-01: The Washington Post on Google to limit some drug ads
2004-03-02: The Washington Post on Crackdown on prescription abuse
2004-03-03: silicon.com on UN agency addresses Internet drug problem
Remember, boys and girls,
