[RC] Re: Google AdSense Account rejection

[Dr. Ernie Prabhakar]

Hello Google, and the AdSense support team,

I am a great admirer of your company, and your founders.   I understand 
the value of the Google brand, and appreciate the sensitivity required 
in determining where to place your ads and those of your sponsors, to 
ensure maximum value.  It was that very appreciation for you which led 
me to consider using AdSense on my site.

Of course, that also led to something of a rude shock when I was turned 
down due to your concern about 'sensitive content' on 
www.radicalcentrism.org:

>  AdSensepolicy doesn't currently accept sites that advocate against any
> individual, group, or organization

When I first read that policy (as instructed before submitting my 
application), it seemed like a reasonable policy, for which I could 
understand the motivation (presumably to avoid hate speech). However, I 
was slightly concerned that it was overly broad, and hoped that it 
wouldn't exclude positive attempts at reform.  Still, I never dreamt 
that I would fall afoul of it.

While RadicalCentrism is an occasionally trenchant critique of existing 
political systems, I hardly intend to "advocate against any individual, 
group, or organization," except in the very abstract sense that I try 
to critique other people's ideas.  The harshest language I can find on 
my site is the term 'anti-partisan', which is explicitly opposing the 
tendency of groups to caricature and attack each other. I also assume 
that a politically-oriented site is not automatically ineligible for 
Google advertising.  You only exclude advocating *against*, not 
advocating "for", correct?

I suspect that you probably receive thousands of requests a day for 
AdSense, and perhaps rely on automated tools for analysis.  Perhaps 
terms like 'radical' and 'manifesto' set off alarms, despite the 
contrarian way I am using them. Is there any process  I can use to 
appeal your decision?

Conversely, perhaps it is I who am not sensitive enough, and somehow my 
site came across as more strident and negative than I intended. I do 
have great respect for google's text analysis skills, and perhaps my 
website was perceived as advocating against the "Left" and "Right" 
(though those are mostly concepts, not groups).  Still, RadicalCentrism 
is about listening and learning, not condemning, and if I've violated 
my own standards -- which I would hope are compatible with yours -- I'd 
like to fix that.  Is there any way to find out what exactly made my 
site objectionable in your eyes?

Thank you for your consideration.

Puzzled in Politics,
Ernie Prabhakar
Founder, RadicalCentrism.org

On May 21, 2004, at 2:04 PM, Google AdSense wrote:

> Hello Ernest,
>
> Thank you for your interest in Google AdSense. After reviewing your
> application, our program specialists have found that the website
> currently associated with your account does not comply with our
> policies. Therefore, we're unable to accept you into Google AdSense at
> this time.
>
> We did not approve your application for the reasons listed below. If
> you are able to resolve these issues, please feel free to reply to this
> email for reconsideration when you have made the changes.
>
> Issues:
>
>   - Sensitive content
>
> ---------------------
>
> Further detail:
>
> Sensitive content: Google believes strongly in freedom of expression
> and offers broad access to content across the web without censoring
> search results. At the same time, we reserve the right to exercise
> discretion when reviewing sites for AdSense. We've found that your
> website contains content that we don't allow at this time. AdSense
> policy doesn't currently accept sites that advocate against any
> individual, group, or organization. Please review our policies
> (https://www.google.com/adsense/policies) for a complete list of site
> content not allowed on web pages.
>
> ---------------------
>
> For a complete list of AdSense criteria, please visit:
> https://www.google.com/adsense/policies?hl=en_US
> https://www.google.com/adsense/localized-terms?hl=en_US
>
> If you would like to submit another website for consideration, simply
> reply to this email and provide us with the URL. If this new website
> complies with our program policies, we will help you start delivering
> AdWords ads in minutes.
>
> Please contact us at adsense-support at google.com if you have any
> questions.
>
> Regards,
>
> The Google Team
>
-----------
Ernest N. Prabhakar, Ph.D. <DrErnie at RadicalCentrism.org>
RadicalCentrism.org is an anti-partisan think tank near Sacramento, 
California, dedicated to developing and promoting the ideals of 
Reality, Character, Community and Humility as expressed in our Radical 
Centrist Manifesto: Ground Rules of Civil Society 
<http://RadicalCentrism.org/manifesto.html>