Google to Censor Firearms from Shopping Results

[Paslode]

Save me from myself....

Snip:

There are some very unsettling things coming from Google this week. If you do a shopping search for firearms-related products using Google, you will now get back nothing. Google is censoring their results for firearms and ammunition. This will effectively put an end to an era of ease when comparing gun prices from different merchants. Customers will now have to research their firearms purchases manually at individual websites. Google has made great strides in the past on eliminating Internet censorship, but the California-based company seems to have it in for the firearms industry—and they are not alone.

http://cheaperthandirt.com/blog/?p=2...oglecensorship

[DIYPatriot]

I shouldn't be surprised that Google did this, but damn, I sort of am. I just did a Bing search for 1911's and they reported gun prices much like Google previously did. Hopefully, they don't pander to the anti-2A crowd.

[Sigaba]

Since when is private company making a decision to comply with the law "censorship" or "pandering"?

As Google puts it here, "We've created this policy to comply with legal regulations."

The blogosphere is going to be the end of us all.

[Roguish Lawyer]

Originally Posted by Sigaba

Since when is private company making a decision to comply with the law "censorship" or "pandering"?

As Google puts it here, "We've created this policy to comply with legal regulations."

The blogosphere is going to be the end of us all.

You've linked to the ad policy, not a policy concerning Google searches. Different part of the company.

[Sigaba]

Originally Posted by Roguish Lawyer

You've linked to the ad policy, not a policy concerning Google searches. Different part of the company.

The full blog post linked in the OP centers around advertising.

[Roguish Lawyer]

Originally Posted by Sigaba

The full blog post linked in the OP centers around advertising.

The part about Google claims that they are censoring search results. Google ads is a part of the company separate from the part that does the Google search results.

[Sigaba]

By my reading of the blog, the issue is not about web search results being censored but about shopping search results being censored.

If you do a shopping search for firearms-related products using Google, you will now get back nothing.

While I was in error to attribute this policy to the Google ads division, I think that the type of search in question is not controlled by the same mechanisms that governs web searches. That is, one can still find places that sell weapons, parts, and ammunition by doing a web search, but when one toggles the "shopping" button, the results are filtered to nothing. (That is, no price comparisons or listing of vendors in one's area.)

Based upon my subsequent research, the unit in question appears to be Google Commerce and the product is "Google Shopping"--at least according to a message box that appears on my screen when I replicate the results pictured in the blog post. According to Google Commerce's blog, Google Shopping is being transitioned into an entirely commercial enterprise later this year <<LINK>>.

FWIW, I will chase this bouncing ball over the next several days. The questions I will seek to answer are:

• Why are the search results being filtered?
• How was the decision made to filter the results?
• Which unit of Google is doing the filtering?
• Is the filtering consistent with Google's approach to "openness" and its opposition to "censorship"?
• If the filtering is done in the name of "user experience," (a term Google uses often) I will ask for clarification on what that means.

Meanwhile, I pose a rephrased version of my original question. Under what circumstances--if any--does a business decision constitute "censorship" or "pandering" if it changes how a product works--especially when one can use a related product (web search) to find useable results?

Also: Is it reasonable for end users of a free service provided by a private company to expect that service to work in ways that they prefer? Google terms of service.

[MR2]

Originally Posted by Sigaba

Since when is private company making a decision to comply with the law "censorship" or "pandering"?

1. Comply with what law?

2. When said service constitutes a monopoly or near-monopoly.

[JJ_BPK]

I just tried:

• "m16 parts cheaper than dirt" 66K+ results..
• "WTS Machine Gun parts" 178K results..
• "companies THAT SELL Machine Guns".. 193M results..

There were no AD's on the right column, but plenty of hits in the results..

[Paslode]

Originally Posted by JJ_BPK

I just tried:

• "m16 parts cheaper than dirt" 66K+ results..
• "WTS Machine Gun parts" 178K results..
• "companies THAT SELL Machine Guns".. 193M results..

There were no AD's on the right column, but plenty of hits in the results..

That is plenty of hits, but CTD may have a point when you consider this:


'Sex Toys' About 95,700,000 results (0.23 seconds) with Ads

'Dildo' About 292,000,000 results (0.20 seconds) with Ad's

'Erotic City' About 9,330,000 results (0.18 seconds) with AD and PIC's

[PedOncoDoc]

Originally Posted by Paslode

That is plenty of hits, but CTD may have a point when you consider this:


'Sex Toys' About 95,700,000 results (0.23 seconds) with Ads

'Dildo' About 292,000,000 results (0.20 seconds) with Ad's

'Erotic City' About 9,330,000 results (0.18 seconds) with AD and PIC's

You definitely have a very different definition of "toys" than most here.

[BigJimCalhoun]

Some of the executives from Google are among the richest people in the word and I speculate they themselves are protected by bodyguards with firearms. Just like Mayor Bloomberg.

[afchic]

Google can do whatever it wants, as a private company. Don't like their search engine, use another one. There are plenty of them out there.

Google will soon learn, that while they have the right to decide what comes up on their search engine, we the people have a right to go elsewhere to find our information. When they start losing money because people have begun to learn they are not the only game in town, maybe they will change their thought process.

[sinjefe]

Originally Posted by afchic

Google can do whatever it wants, as a private company. Don't like their search engine, use another one. There are plenty of them out there.

Google will soon learn, that while they have the right to decide what comes up on their search engine, we the people have a right to go elsewhere to find our information. When they start losing money because people have begun to learn they are not the only game in town, maybe they will change their thought process.

Agree 100%. dogpile and mamma are just as good. Vote with your feet (or fingers)

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by afchic

Google can do whatever it wants, as a private company. Don't like their search engine, use another one. There are plenty of them out there.

Google will soon learn, that while they have the right to decide what comes up on their search engine, we the people have a right to go elsewhere to find our information. When they start losing money because people have begun to learn they are not the only game in town, maybe they will change their thought process.

ebay was trying for a while to be the big liberal auction house. Any time someone tried to sell anything related to weapons they put you in a timeout or ban'd you.

They have changed. You can now auction just about any weapon related item, short of complete weapons, serialized frames, and ammo..

Money speaks...