[Rich Z]

The other day I set up my account with Overture (they do the advertising links for those ads you see in Yahoo when you do keyword searches) to include ArmsLocker.com. I set up several keywords to have ads displayed in with the hopes it would spur some traffic to this site.

They links got set up in my account, but I noticed that there were no hits being registered. So I fired off an email to Overture support to find out what was going on.

Here's the reply I got:

Thank you for contacting Overture.

First of all, please be aware of our current guideline regarding Web sites that sell weapons or ammunition:
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As you may know, Web sites that contain content (either on the site itself or through spawned windows, links, or banner ads) with material about assault/automatic weapons are not permitted on Overture. Overture has decided that it does not wish to be associated with these types of products.
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Furthermore, although we do allow advertisers to bid on search terms such as "weapon" or "ammunition," neither Yahoo! nor MSN will display sponsored search results for these terms. This is per our current agreements.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any further assistance.

Sincerely,

Joey Patrick
Overture Client Services

I then replied thusly:

I find this very hard to stomach. You are talking about the repression of legally owned and commercially viable merchandise. With the proper paperwork all of these types of items are perfectly legal to buy, sell, own or talk about. Personally, if that is Overture's, along with Yahoo and MSN's policies concerning a prejudicial attitude about such things, then I
cannot condone such an attitude by spending my money to support such companies.

Interestingly enough, I just went to Yahoo and typed in "sex toys" into the search query and got a number of companies selling such items that apparenlty Overture and Yahoo are willing to provide advertising services for. You don't see the irony of that?

Right now I am spending quite a bit of money monthly through Overture advertising my Fauna related sites. That is about to come to an end abruptly. You have no LEGAL reason to censor topics having to do with firearms or ammunition of any type. That is patently unfair and strongly biased, which I cannot ethically support in any fashion.

I do not expect a policy change based on the potential loss of my business, and fully understand that. So in that reqards please cancel my account with Overture effective immediately and mark your records to indicate that you are no longer permitted to charge my credit card for any funds whatsoever. I also want the balance remaining in my account for unused click passthroughs to be refunded immediately.

Thank you.

Rich Zuchowski

I was spending a good sized chunk of change advertising my other sites through them. That has now come to an end. Who the hell do these people think they are deciding who can and cannot advertise legal merchandise on their sites?

Oh well. Now I have more money left in my pockets each month to buy guns with....

 

[Ken Chiarella]

Rich,
the sad thing is that more and more businesses are doing this. Ebay and Paypal have recently stopped allowing gun sales. I guess they don't need our business.
Ken Chiarella

 

[Rich Z]

Perhaps it's time to start fighting back.

I know how overture works, from doing it myself. Boycotting Overture would not have much of an effect unless you actually use their keyword ad services. And I thought perhaps boycotting the companies using their service might be worthwhile to consider.

But then I had an idea.

One of the fears I had using Overture was that someone malicious enough could really rack up my monthly bill from them by just clicking on my links from the Yahoo keyword pages. Each click of the link costs me at least 10 cents. Suppose a bunch of people REALLY got pissed at me and clicked those links hundreds or THOUSANDS of times? I would be dropping Overture like a red hot potato! Of course I am not suggesting anyone do something like that, although I can't see where any legality would be involved, but perhaps advertisers using Yahoo and Overture should be warned about this danger they face by continuing their advertising through them.

Just a thought....

I have also heard that Google has blocked gun related sites as well. And yes I use their advertising services on my sites, but this is in a different way. Whenever anyone clicks on those links on MY sites, Google sends ME money! :laugh:

And no, I am not suggesting that people click on those links either....

 

[G-lock]

Along similar lines...I just got off the phone with my little brother. He's an MP stationed in Korea (Army).

We have been keeping in touch via private messages through Glocktalk.com for the year and a half that he has been over there. He just told me a few minutes ago that the on base computers have now blocked Glocktalk and all other "weapons related" sites.

Unbelievable.

 

[Ken Chiarella]

That's insane. When the army goes PC we're finished! Tell your brother that they people from Armslocker.com wish him well, and thank him for serving our country. It is kind of demoralizing to be serving the country and watch while our rights are stripped away! Thanks for the great post!
Ken Chiarella

 

[G-lock]

I'll have to let him know about this site. It's new, so it probably isn't blocked yet .

 

[Rich Z]

If the military is not fighting to protect the rights of US citizens, then what exactly are they doing? And if reading material related to firearms is not a right, then maybe my brain made a wrong turn somewhere. Does a US citizen lose his/her rights by joining the military?

This IS still the USA, isn't it?

 

[CAV]

Hold on! Your average Joes are some of the finest young Americans you will ever find. BUT...............

Don't forget that Democrates still hold seats on both the House, and Senate Armed Services Committes.

 

[Rich Z]

I just got off the phone with Overture, who does the paid click through ads for the search engines. Apparently they will not allow sites that show anything about automatic or military style "assault weapons" on their pages to advertise through them.

That bites! So much for freedom of speech and expression!

But what do I do about it?

Do I bite the bitter big one and remove those forums and hope that traffic will build to where I can tell them to go to hell later and put them back up, or just hope word of mouth will suffice?

I'm tempted to go with plan A, but damn I hate taking a step backwards on my rights.

Grrrr!! :angry:

 

[Darin Chappell]

"Does a US citizen lose his/her rights by joining the military?"

Too a large degree, Yes, they do. When you join the Armed Forces, you submit yourself in a legally binding fashion to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), and it is by that document, not the U.S. Constitution, that you are then guaranteed rights. Under the UCMJ, not all of the rights we take for granted in the civilian world are granted to the soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen who protect us.

 

[Ken Chiarella]

Rich,
I would remove those forums for now and advertise. Have you tried google? I do better with them than overture, but they may have the same policy. Once you grow than dump them!
Ken Chiarella

 

[Rich Z]

Yeah, but damn, that means I have to drop the banner ads for Barrett and probably GunBroker as well. Plus I will have to change the logo. I just HATE for someone's prejudices to slap me around.

Why aren't gunowners afforded some sort of minority status and all the attendant protections?

 

[Rich Z]

Well, let's try a little creative renaming of those forums. I will still have to change the logo, though. Not sure about the banner ads, but what the heck. They are freebies, so no big loss there.

Let's see about building up traffic and then re-evaluate this situation!

 

[eli95]

The same holds true if you live in a Fedral enclave D.C., comes to mind. Normal laws and rights do not apply, no privet guns in D.C. without a Fedral licence. AKA Canada

 

[mrostov]

There were probably more legally operating gun shops in Baghdad under Saddam Hussein than there are in Washington DC.

 

[84 C4]

But what do I do about it?

Sue, it's a PITA, but it's necessary. You can't deny advertising space to someone because they're black, asian, indian, jewish, or any thing else. What they're doing is ILLEGAL!! You have the same right to possess "assault weapons" as you do to be a Muslim, or any thing else. These are Constitutional Rights. SUE OVERTURE!! Start off in Small Claims, and work your way up.

Or send a mail bomb, whatever gets the point across.

 

[Rich Z]

If I had a gun related business, maybe that would make sense. But go to court, with all of the attendant time, effort, and expense, for a free website?

If I had unlimited supplies of any of the three prerequisites mentioned above, sure, I would do that. But such just is not the case, I am afraid.

 

[84 C4]

The point is to set a legal precedent that discrimination against firearms owners is illegal. I'm truly ashamed that the NRA isn't taking a more aggressive stance. They need to stop wasting money on that "NRA radio" program I keep hearing about (as far as I know, it still isn't broadcasting).