Yahoo & Google -- Caving in to Pressure !

[Captu4ik]

A couple weeks ago, after advertising with Yahoo ! Search for a couple of months (they actually solicited my business), they dropped me like a hot potato. I wasn't the only one. They dropped all paid, e-cig related advertising. Of course I inquired as to the reason, but met a stone wall. They gladly refunded my money (that was a surprise), immediately.

Not to be daunted by Yahoo !'s spineless attitude, I promptly enrolled in Google Adwords. I even sent them an email, asking for verification that e-cigarettes were legitimate products for promotion through Adwords. "No problem ! ", was their reply ...

Well, guess what ?!? (Even an idiot can figure out the next step ...)

Yes, that's right, dropped like a hot potato ! Why ? Because they are now tobacco products !

Two weeks ago, they were not tobacco products ...

I'm not even going to bother trying Bing ...

 

[ejoker]

at least today, bing still accepts paid e-cig advertisers.

 

[mwa102464]

ha ha ha, can you say politics, man what is this world coming to guys, someone needs to grab Jeff B by the neck and squeez hard for giving into this, and it really shows how politics and money rule

 

[Tampa2]

Geez, Can anybody say Germany, 1944- Gestapo tactics- When Government puts that pressure on...... sorry to hear that, Cap't.

 

[Captu4ik]

at least today, bing still accepts paid e-cig advertisers.

Based upon the response I just rec'v'd from them, they may not ...

ha ha ha, can you say politics

It may seem funny to some, but having Yahoo or Google decide for you what type of content you view seems more like ...

Gestapo tactics

Yeah, what he said ! (^)

If you don't feel that this is further erosion of your right to free speech, just sit back and laugh. Me, I think I'll take a more offensive attitude ...

 

[SheerLuckHolmes]

The best strongest message we can send is in the next election. If someone is in office and running for re-election, vote for the other guy that is a new comer. Doesn't matter what their party affiliation is. If they are currently in office, they are part of the problem.

If 40% of the legislators can be turned over for new blood, the rest of 'em are going to get it. The American public is fed up, stop it! Stop Them. Vote for REAL CHANGE! Change those in office for new ones!

 

[Storyspinr]

Perhaps you should contact both of them and ask them to provide the evidence that, legally, e cigs are considered tobacco products. That is what the entire pending court case is about - are they drug devices, as claimed by the FDA, or are they tobacco products, as claimed by SE and NJoy? If someone in the government has told Google and Yahoo they are tobacco products, that could shoot down the FDA argument. It could also bolster the argument of SE and NJoy, since it would indicate two major internet organizations - Google and Yahoo - consider them tobacco products. The anti-smoker groups are advising their staff to never refer to them as tobacco products as part of the effort to support the FDA's "drug device" claim in court.

 

[Vocalek]

Google sponsors Blogspot. My blog is on Blogspot. It comes up with ads for electronic cigarettes. See The Truth About Nicotine

Note that I specify "electronic cigarettes" in the tags.

 

[Spence]

Perhaps you should contact both of them and ask them to provide the evidence that, legally, e cigs are considered tobacco products. That is what the entire pending court case is about - are they drug devices, as claimed by the FDA, or are they tobacco products, as claimed by SE and NJoy? If someone in the government has told Google and Yahoo they are tobacco products, that could shoot down the FDA argument. It could also bolster the argument of SE and NJoy, since it would indicate two major internet organizations - Google and Yahoo - consider them tobacco products. The anti-smoker groups are advising their staff to never refer to them as tobacco products as part of the effort to support the FDA's "drug device" claim in court.

Very astute deduction!

I hope that any communication from google, etc. is being documented.

 

[Captu4ik]

Google sponsors Blogspot. My blog is on Blogspot. It comes up with ads for electronic cigarettes.

Yes, but the field is thinning quickly. As soon as those advertisers still extant try to modify their advertising or campaign, it will be re-submitted for editorial review and shot down. Then the associated website is flagged, and no new advertising will be accepted for that site.

One of my competitors modified his ad and re-submitted it with a re-direct, his ad is showing again. Until the next time ...

A wholesale juice customer of mine has encountered exactly the same experiences as I have with Yahoo ! Search and Google AdWords, also.

 

[Captu4ik]

Here's the Dear John letter --

Hello Ed,

Thank you for your email. I understand that you are concerned about
E-cigarettes being a part of the Tobacco policy.

I wish to tell you that products that are specifically and consistently
marketed as smoking cessation aids such as patches and/or gums are
allowed.

However, any form of cigarette or cigarette alternative, as they are not
solely marketed as an aid to quit smoking, is monitored. We do not allow
Electronic cigarettes/E-cigarettes

I understand your concerns and frustrations regarding the changes to our
Tobacco policy. Only after careful consideration did we decide to
implement this new policy. This change was based on several factors,
including legal and cultural considerations, as well as user and customer
experience. We regularly review Google AdWords content policies and make
changes to keep them current and effective.

 

[mwa102464]

Captu4ik,

You took my post totaly wrong, if you read the whole thing I said the neck of the owner of Google should be squeezed hard for this and how politics and money rule, I was totaly on your side buddy, and think it sucks what money, power and politics do to small business.!!!

 

[CES]

Is this the same Google that stood up to the Chinese government about censorship?

 

[geeker]

I wish they would do something about referring me to a pr0n website within the first 10 links they display for 75% of my serarches.

 

[Captu4ik]

You took my post totaly wrong, I think it sucks what money, power and politics do to small business.!!!

It's simply amazing the way corporate America shapes our perceptions of the World, without much public indication at all.

 

[Tampa2]

It's simply amazing the way corporate America shapes our perceptions of the World, without much public indication at all.

It's all about the dollar, Cap't. The FDA is fighting their war on e-cigs with the power of "friendly persuasion". If you do this for us, we may owe you one in the future..... Look at Paypal! They more or less come out and said they were getting pressured. Do you think any big Corporation in America (that is doing good business) is not going to cooperate with the Government. Look at that pathetic argument that lady made to the NY legislature. That was a set-up from the first word! They should have got someone that knew what they were talking about, but used an idiot that said these were aimed at kids and had anti-freeze. hahahaha! The bottom line is you will see more and more behind the scenes persuasion to get rid of the e-cig. Bet on it!

 

[Spence]

So who is it that you feel is pressuring them to classify PV's as tobacco products? Isn't that the legal stance of the PV industry? "Our" stance?

 

[Captu4ik]

So who is it that you feel is pressuring them to classify PV's as tobacco products? Isn't that the legal stance of the PV industry? "Our" stance?

LOL ! That must be it -- Google is responding to the PV industry by cutting out all paid adverts for PV's ...

Yeah, that's the ticket !

 

[Spence]

LOL ! That must be it -- Google is responding to the PV industry by cutting out all paid adverts for PV's ...

Yeah, that's the ticket !

What's with the sarcasm?

If Yahoo & Google classify PV's as cessation devices, they are reiterating the legal stance of the FDA.
If Yahoo & Google classify PV's as tobacco products, they are lending legitimacy to the argument presented by the PV industry.

Thus, my question is whether they are taking a stance unwittingly ... or can anyone venture a guess as to why they flip-flopped on their policy & stance? Clearly, it does not seem in the best interest of the FDA to pressure anyone to adopt a rule diametrically opposite to their own legal argument.

 

[MrNYFC]

I personally believe that Yahoo & Google (et al), don't wish to be in the middle of a legal limbo.

All of these companies (PayPal, for instance) are just playing it safe. They have a team of attorneys analyzing the risk of allowing PV suppliers to advertise with their service, and I think that the revenue generated from that isn't enough to justify the possibility of operating in (what they consider) a legally "gray" area. You think these companies want to leave themselves open to a lawsuit? Over e-cigs? I think not.

Then again, what do I know.