It seems that Facebook executives haven’t taken fully to the Northern California lifestyle - or at any rate, it hasn’t affected their advertising policies. Google, on the other hand, is a different story.
In a nut shell, Facebook rejected ads by the Just Say Now coalition for the campaign to legalize marijuana in California, while Google accepted them. The story on Huffington Post says that the text-based ads are straightforward with messages such as: “Proposition 19: Join the campaign to legalize marijuana in California.” The graphic ads contain an image of a cannabis leaf. Ooh, scary! <rolls eyes>
Google has run the ads and also accepted ads mentioning the controversy, though they cannot name Facebook specifically, for trademark reasons.
Facebook’s explanation has been a tad inconsistent. A Facebook spokesman first told HuffPost that the Just Say Now ads were banned – after initially being accepted – because they contained a pot leaf, which falls under a general ban on promoting smoking. No such ban is outlined in the advertising guidelines.
The Libertarian Party was reportedly given a different reason. “We do not allow ads for marijuana or political ads for the promotion of marijuana and will not allow the creation of any further Facebook Ads for this product,” a Facebook representative wrote to the Libertarian Party.
After HuffPost published its story, a Facebook spokeswoman emailed a further statement. ”We don’t allow any images of drugs, drug paraphernalia, or tobacco in ad images on Facebook,” she said. “Sometimes our automated and manual processes miss these, but our policy has always been the same. Just Say Now, the Libertarian Party, and other organizations with similar objectives can continue to advertise on Facebook using different images.”
So whatever the precise reason for the ban, it seems that Facebook is more prudish than Google when it comes to the advertising it hosts.
Facebook is of course well within its rights to accept or reject whatever advertising it wants – this is part of its own first-amendment rights. But this doesn’t stop controversy over whether Facebook is trampling on freedom of speech by turning certain advertisements down.
Michael Whitney of Firedoglake.com, an organizing member of the Just Say Now coalition, told HuffPost: ”Google’s decision to run the ads is an affirmation that the search network is mature enough to run ads that are clearly political speech.”
Bruce Fein, former associate attorney general for President Reagan and a coalition member, made similar comments. “Facebook’s concocted prissiness over political advocacy is more to be disparaged than imitated,” he said. “Freedom of expression is made of sterner stuff. Google deserves applause for exposing Facebook to shame.”
And as Facebook grows in size, questions about freedom of speech on its advertising network will only increase. It’s one thing for a small company to accept or reject ads according to its own ethical code but it gets uncomfortable when the company starts to hold a dominant or even monopoly position. What do you think Facebook should do? Is it time to review its policies? Or is this an example of how they are working just fine?
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It Should Be Legal
Comment by Parrece — August 26, 2010 @ 9:46 am
. ”We don’t allow any images of drugs, drug paraphernalia, or tobacco in ad images on Facebook,”
Oh really? That apparently doesn't apply to games. "Potfarm", anyone?
Comment by Gene Lyons — August 26, 2010 @ 10:21 am
Facebook … really? Deleting the Pot ads? Because they're so much worse than all the bogus ads with the 3/4 naked women in them?
Comment by Kim Wookey — August 26, 2010 @ 10:26 am
bin on l'ai voit les droguer lol
Comment by Frédér — August 26, 2010 @ 10:57 am
As I heard from my friend who smokealot
this group bought more than 100K fans from webtraffic2010.com. http://www.webtraffic2010.com/
May the fans and ganja be with you!
Comment by Amanda East — August 26, 2010 @ 11:39 am
It would serve Facebook right if everyone just abandoned them for this. Shame on them for trying to enforce their outdated ignorant morals on the rest of us! I removed my account and encourage all free thinkers everywhere to do the same. We don't need Facebook!
Comment by Free Thinker — August 26, 2010 @ 12:30 pm
It's because California wants "patent" on legal marijuana. As selfish as it sounds, I don't want it being "legalized" only regulated, taxed, and kept in CA. Of course this wont work, people will smuggle and it will be an issue so regulate it first in CA, then spread to NV, then spread out. But never legalize.. Nobody profits off of that.
Props to Facebook for upholding California's interests.
Comment by Joe Riley — August 26, 2010 @ 2:11 pm
…i am not advertising on facebook but my profile is of pot plant, so what my status with you ILLEGAL????…get with the program FACEBOOK, child molestors, murderers, all sorts are allowed on facebook, a plant challenges you?…
Comment by Juice Joint — August 26, 2010 @ 2:56 pm
Seems they allowed them in Zuckerbrains profile before though.
Comment by Greg — August 26, 2010 @ 5:44 pm
i think it should be legal because it aint nothing wrong wit it i been smoken for 4 years and it aint nothing wrong wit me so they should make weed legal. ween u smoke its alot of fun and all u want 2 do is have a good time!!!!!!!
Comment by mike — August 27, 2010 @ 1:58 pm
When people shop, they are looking for a specific product at the best price. http://www.weedits.com/ provides a easy way to find the medicine and cross reference it for the best price and closest location (map provided). If a collective will offer a specific product at a lower price ( run a special ) , customer will easily find that low price and place the reservation for it. Collectives that list their product on http://www.weedits.com/ have the ability to advertise it directly to the consumer.
Comment by weedits — April 19, 2011 @ 4:45 am
[...] Major tobacco companies would simply move their promotions to Facebook pages if New Zealand bans cigarette advertising. [...]
Pingback by Why Haven’t Tobacco Brands Lit Up On Facebook? — April 25, 2011 @ 6:31 pm
Weed should be free. http://www.tube-420.com
Comment by Doctor — April 30, 2011 @ 11:43 am
they wouldn't advertise on my site ( gotabowl.com ) anymore fuck google adwords. They ran ads for 2 weeks even running ads saying marijuana, dispensary, thc, etc. and they banished me from having adwords on my site. I think they have sold out and gone the way any big company is now going. Money hungry muther fuckers. Weed should be given away by the handfuls.
Comment by gotabowl? — May 10, 2011 @ 2:26 pm
Makes me love google more everyday while all the while hating facebook.
Comment by @realSLIK — July 20, 2011 @ 6:32 pm
http://mylifeisstoner.com was also rejected
Comment by MLIS — October 17, 2011 @ 12:26 pm
Thanks for sharing this information. That is quite shocking to me. Regards cookware ratings
Comment by cookware reviews — October 27, 2011 @ 8:57 am