Power Tends to Corrupt and Google Power Corrupts Abso-Googly
Google the term google and you won't find any ads containing "google" (or "Google"). In fact, "google" is one of the few terms you can search for on Google that produces absolutely no ad results. (A total aside: finding search queries that yield no ads could become another form of Google whacking.)
As you likely know, the results you see when you do a Google search are divided into "natural" links-the supposedly objective links the search engine comes up with in response to your query-and "sponsored" links, which are paid advertisements.
Sponsored links (does an ad by any other name smell fairer?) are clearly labeled as such (in very small type) and appear both above and to the right of the natural search results.
Google makes its very nice living on these sponsored links, a/k/a ads. These ads are placed using the Google AdWords mechanism. (Besides appearing in search results, Google's ads also show up on websites that have enrolled in the Google AdSense program.)
Anyone with a valid credit card can place an AdWords ad-although, of course, Google makes more money from its large advertisers than from its "two-buck chucks."
When you place an ad via AdWords, the system automatically checks the ad text for violations of the Google rules (click here for the lawyerly text of the terms and conditions).
The automated check includes an attempt to weed out copyrighted or trademarked terms.
If your ad is rejected by the software, you can request an exception-but don't expect a response with anything other than a boilerplate reiteration of the rejection.
Google is particularly strict about reserving the term "google". Oddly enough, "AdSense" and "AdWords" are both fair game. Well, perhaps not oddly because Google makes mucho dinaros off selling ads against these terms.
Case in point: a recent attempt by the publisher of my new book Google Advertising Tools to place an AdWords ad using the book's title.
I think this is pretty clearly a legitimate usage of "Google". (The book's copyright page does include the standard notice that Google is a trademark of Google Technology, Inc.)
The ad was rejected, and the reasoned request for an exemption signed by a marketing manager at the publisher was also rejected in boilerplate, reiterative fashion.
Of course, Google has every right to protect its valuable name. However, Google exercises great power over our virtual lives. Sometimes in arbitrary and capricious ways.
It continues to trouble me that this absolute power can be exercised without any effective appellate mechanism.
Posted by Harold Davis at March 14, 2006 12:39 PM
