Guest essay by Eric Worrall
According to The Register, Google’s advertisers have demanded their ads not be shown on pages which dispute the climate emergency.
Motivated by commerce, not conscience, Google bans ads for climate change consensus contradictors
Publishers won’t get ads, advertisers won’t get a voice, nobody will be spared weeks of tedious culture wars
Simon Sharwood, APAC Editor
Fri 8 Oct 2021 // 02:51 UTCGoogle has decided not to run any ads alongside content that “contradicts well-established scientific consensus around the existence and causes of climate change”.
The decision impacts YouTube, advertisers, and publishers. It appears to be primarily a matter of commerce, rather than conscience: the adtech strangler vine has framed the decision as a change to its ads and monetization policy.
“In recent years, we’ve heard directly from a growing number of our advertising and publisher partners who have expressed concerns about ads that run alongside or promote inaccurate claims about climate change,” states Google’s missive. “Advertisers simply don’t want their ads to appear next to this content. And publishers and creators don’t want ads promoting these claims to appear on their pages or videos.”
Hence the new policy, which will bar ads appearing on content that suggests climate change is a hoax, scam, or denies that human activity contributes. Ads suggesting any of the above will also be banned.
…
Read more: https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/08/google_climate_change/
I’m not sure I believe Google’s explanation.
If they were taking care of commercial customers who don’t want their ads to appear next to climate skeptic stories, they could have just added a checkbox to their ad management console, protected clients who were sensitive about appearing next to climate skeptics, while retaining revenue from what are frequently very popular stories.
In my opinion, banning specifically climate skeptic content could be an attempt to commercially coerce Fox News, Breitbart, and other websites to avoid printing stories which Google doesn’t like – an attempt by Google to use their financial leverage to exert editorial influence over websites read by people who are open to skeptic narratives.
Lemme see if I can still remember..
You can fool some people all of the time,
You can fool all people some of the time.
You cannot fool all of the people all of the time.
This will sort itself out. Denying yourself of revenue streams (yes, this is what Alphabet does) has a tendency of sorting itself out rather quickly.
You only need to fool a simple majority all of the time.
Then they become the minority very quickly.
I think this good. Not because of what Google is saying with their decision– which is that they hate non-orthodox opinions. I think it’s good because it’s yet another decision that cuts Google deeper than it realizes. Think of it like trimming a nail: if you keep clipping more and more off, eventually you cut the quick and start bleeding. With each asinine decision Google makes, it’s cutting closer to the core of its lifeblood.
The Internet is still a free place and other social media and advertising platforms are rising. The mighty Achilles was bested by a simple strike to the back of his foot. Google should keep a close eye on who’s behind it.
Reminds me of an old saying: The hand went too far too fast and touched the wrong thing at the wrong time, causing the entire plan to disastrously unravel.
Sounds like a lot of high school dates.
A fellow traveller. Nice to meet you.
Exactly what I was saying earlier. You simply can’t keep cutting down your customer base and expect to continue to thrive. Especially with a business like Google, which does not sell anything tangible, only services. Those services are increasingly available elsewhere. DuckDuckgo,com is perfectly acceptable as a search engine. One’s advertising dollars don’t have to go to Google, there a many other choices available. Google Maps is often wrong and they are very slow to respond to corrections, often rudely questioning the veracity of the complainant.
Why stop there? Let’s stop all ads running alongside content that ever contradicted well-established scientific consensus. Lets start with any articles about Galileo, Da Vinci, Einstein, Alfred Wegener and Barry James Marshall.
The real reason. Amazon, Google, Facebook and Twitters intention is to grow in banking and finance i.e. fintech. To get a slice of future action with digital currencies they play in the political sewer and as part of this quid pro quo they censor opposition to the dominant political narrative.
So Google is denying science in the name of politics. The reality is that, based on the paleoclimate record and the work done with models, the climate change we are experiencing today is caused by the sun and the oceans over which mankind has no control. Despite the hype, there is no real evidence that CO2 has any effect on climate and there is plenty of scientific rationale that the climate sensitivity of CO2 is zero. Hence all of the efforts to reduce CO2 emissions will have no effect on global climate. We are currently warming up from the Little Ice Age much as we warmed up from the Dark Ages Cooling Period more than 1400 years ago. The Holocene has experienced several warming and cooling periods over the past 10,000 years. There is nothing unusual about the climate change that is taking place today. There is no climate crisis. This is all a matter of science.
Central to this issue is the AGW conjecture, that is that Mankind’s burning of fossil fuels is causing the Earth to warm up. At first the AGW conjecture sounds quite plausible but upon closer examination I find that it is based on only partial science and is full of holes. For example, the AGW conjecture depends upon the existence of a radiant greenhouse effect caused by trace gases in the Earth’s atmosphere with LWIR absorption bands. Gases with LWIR absorption bands are called “greenhouse gases”. A real greenhouse does not stay warm because of the action of such purportedly heat trapping gases. A real greenhouse stays warm because the glass limits cooling by convection. It is entirely a convective greenhouse effect that keeps a real greenhouse warm. So too on Earth where instead of glass we have gravity and the heat capacity of the atmosphere. As derived from first principals, the Earth’s convective greenhouse effect keeps the surface of the Earth roughly on average 33 degrees C warmer than it would otherwise be. 33 degrees C is what has been derived from first principals and 33 degrees C is what has been measured. Any additional warming caused by an additional radiant greenhouse effect has not been detected on Earth or on any planet in the solar system with a thick atmosphere. Hence the radiant greenhouse effect is nothing but science fiction and hence the AGW conjecture is nothing but science fiction as well. This is all a matter of science. So Google wants us to deny science in the name of science fiction. Hence it is Google who is being antiscience.
“It is entirely a convective greenhouse effect that keeps a real greenhouse warm. So too on Earth where instead of glass we have gravity and the heat capacity of the atmosphere.” Bullshit. And what are these “first principals” to which you refer?
IMO, Gore, Nye, Mann, etc. came up with the greenhouse analogy because they figured the ignorant masses would respond to it – you don’t have to understand the science to know that greenhouses tend to be nice and warm. Take that to the next step, commercial growers do pump additional CO2 into their greenhouses, so the liars can use that to reinforce their lies, claiming that it is the additional CO2 that keeps them warm. It is easy to ignore the presence of heaters and fans if your aim is to promote a big lie.
In the early 20th century experiments were performed that showed that the IR transmission properties of the glass had nothing to do with keeping a real greenhouse warm. It is amazing how people will come to believe very flawed explanations. Then there is the idea that adding more H2O to the atmosphere causes warming because H2O is the primary greenhouse gas and molecule per molecule is a stronger absorber of IR than is CO2. IF that were true then one would expect that the wet lapse rate would be grater than the dry lapse rate in the troposphere but the opposite is true. The wet lapse rate is significantly less than the dry lapse rate which is evidence that adding H2O to the atmosphere causes cooling and not warming If adding CO2 to the atmosphere really caused warming then one would expect that the increase in CO2 over the past 30 years would have caused at least a measurable increase in dry lapse rate in the troposphere but that has not happened.
I say Good Riddance to Google Ad dollars. Sign up today for monthly donations to WUWT!
I don’t do Paypal.
I noticed on the donate page that there was the option to use a credit or debit card, so I continued, but the last page listed Paypal terms of service at the bottom so I assume this payment is going through Paypal, so I’m not going to do it this way. Plus, the donation requires the phone number, which is probably another Paypal intrusion and another reason I wouldn’t use this method.
WUWT should provide a mailing address and I’ll mail you some money. Or get Visa to handle my credit card payment.
Whoever thought up that method of entering the amount on the payment page ought to have their head examined.
“Demonetizes” is so close to “demonizes”, don’t you think?
I remember when Google’s motto was “Don’t be Evil”
Yeah, whatever happened to that noble idea?
Is there a list of companies that made this demand?
I’d like to be able take their demand into consideration when I’m shopping.
Excellent suggestion, can we come up with a list of these idiots? I have no trouble at all sending them letters letting them know that because of their anti-science attitude and shameless sharing of same, I will be voting with my money and spending it elsewhere.
Most people could quit using the goo and the you channels and do just fine. Who is willing to take the pledge to quit using today. Why enrich the tyrants that want to crush your liberty? Don’t post stuff to these platforms and build up the other platforms that aren’t censoring. Eventually the competition will become strong and through word of mouth, more people will migrate away from those that censor.
It would help if there were some big names making this push as well as some advertising dollars to get it done.
It could start here tonight…..
”Google’s advertisers have demanded their ads not be shown on pages which dispute the climate emergency.”
Well there goes more than 50% of their clientele then.
The obvious answer is to organise a global boycott of google. Delete your google account and change your search engine.
It’s a small step from Demonetizes to Demonizes.
I think they are losing the climate change argument and this is just a desperate attempt to stop the rot. For nearly 40 years now we have been told that weather or climate disaster of one form or another is upon us due to our use of fossil fuels. And for 40 years not a single one of th0se disasters predicted by “consensus science” has occurred or even appears imminent in any way shape or form.
Now as winter approaches it appears that a good deal of the developed or developing world is about to get a taste what can happen if one has a shortage of fossil fuels. And they must do what they can to stop the open discussion and questions about what has caused it.
So the huge number of heatwaves the year, with record temperatures, the droughts, the fires, plus the catastrophic rain events (5 at last count) we’ve had this year, that’s just ‘normal’ weather? I know from Met Office stats the UK is 6% wetter on average than 30 years ago, that exceptional rain events have increased and that that is down to climate change.
Readers might wish to check Griff’s lurid claims for themselves.
Here’s a link to Met Office rainfall, temperature, and sunshine data for over a hundered years graphically displayed, month by month, year by year for different regions of the UK;
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-temperature-rainfall-and-sunshine-time-series
Where is the dangerous man-made climate change manifesting itself? Catastrophic rain events? Griff, sadly you like so many have been duped. I’m in my seventies, I was born in England and have lived here for all of those years. The British climate remains as as variable and unpredictable as ever. Look at the way the data points spike up on the Met Office graphs spike up and down over the years.
I think you should read Robin Stirling’s ‘Weather of Britain’ which contains plenty of accounts of what would these days be called ‘extreme weather events’ – including floods!
LOL! NONE of that ever happened before?
, Griff’s view of life, natural history, weather, and the environment does not include ANY weather from the past that could possibly have been worse than what may be happening at a particular place at a particular time these days.
This week in 1871 the most deadly wildfires in US history occurred. Wild fires burned vast areas of Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Chicago burned to the ground, about 18,000 buildings lost, on Oct. 8th that year. There were also massive fires in the Rocky Mountains going on at the same time.
The condition that brought about those horrendous fires started with drought beginning during winter the previous year and lasting right up to the time the fires began. A “cyclonic” storm formed right over the Great Lakes and fanned the flames of smaller fires that merged into massive conflagrations.
It burned so hot at Peshtigo, WI that sand vitrified which takes a temp of about 1000 deg. F to occur! Over 1,000 people were burned to death. The wall of fire about 5 K wide and nearly 1 K high overtook the people in the town so quickly that most could not get out of the way. It was like a giant fire tornado. Glen Have, Holland, and Manistee, MI all burned to the ground also.
BTW wildfire burn area in the US is still below average this year despite the desperate lies from people like you.
As for storms? YTD Global ACE is 95% and NH ACE YTD is 96%. So Tropical cyclones are running about average based on the 40 year mean. The US tornado count is way down below average.
SLR? The Maldives are not only above water but are growing!
The poles? Antarctica just recorded it’s coldest winter on record. Meanwhile in the Arctic Sea Ice Extent is very close to where it was at this time in 1971! It was supposed to be “virtually ice free” YEARS ago according to the “experts” you like to listen to.
Thickness is well within the norm. FullSize_CICE_combine_thick_SM_EN_20211005-1.png (1369×1145) (realclimatescience.com)
There is no doubt that climate changes. It has as long as this planet has had an atmosphere. But what we’re experiencing now is a relatively mild climate compared to many times in the past. Quite the opposite of what you and your fellow liars wish to portray.
Weather happens. Hubert Lamb, for example, estimated that over 1.5 million people lost their lives to bad weather in Western Europe over the period 1099 – 1590.
“huge number of heatwaves” – griff, you still haven’t told me what the RIGHT number of heatwaves should be.
So the huge number of heatwaves the year, with record temperatures, the droughts, the fires, plus the catastrophic rain events (5 at last count) we’ve had this year, that’s just ‘normal’ weather?
Smoke and mirrors
1st Amendment freedom of speech and freedom of the press, which now includes the internet.
Those idjits live and work in a place (Mountain View, CA) where it’s always warm and sunny and nothing is wrong. Nothing ever goes wrong. Everything is just perfect. Posting stuff that contradicts that concept is obviously upsetting to them. They need to spend some time in a Very Cold Place with no access to conveniences and no on to wait on them. Reality can be a very harsh mistress for such people.
Based on the people I know who work for Google, they tend to hire people on the fringes of society who would not fit in as well at more traditional companies. That could be why they have so many “progressives” working there who are very willing to push their political agenda.
Are programmers even more arrogant than Climate Scientists?
It would appear so, when they can self appoint as the ultimate referees.
We have seen this coming for years.
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/07/21/google-big-brother-knows-best/
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/07/29/google-and-the-adjustment-of-inconvenient-viewpoints-especially-climate/
Google is acting as surrogate government censor trying to regulate what may or may not be said — first in public. They will, eventually, start to regulate what people say in private message (GMAIL) and various other private forums managed by Google.
The real topic is MESSAGING — as in Public Health Messages — Climate Change Messages — Social Issues Messaging.
Google and FaceBook are getting involved in pushing preferred messages over personal free speech.
This is an incredible threat to our democratic way of life.
An easy way to push back is to not use Google. Don’t use their search (use DuckDuckGo or Brave). Don’t use their horrible browser. If you want to go further, use NoScript or similar plugins to block the Google scripts infesting other websites as I do.
The Criminal Oligarchs at Google are doubling down…not content on Government sanctioned Censorship of the truth. Now they steal the value of the “clicks” that the truth produces.
Beneath contemptible. This crosses the line into ACTUAL government authorized political OPPRESSION.
Google is evil.
Remember when that nut job Galileo claimed Earth revolves around the sun?
What was that dude smokin’?
With every political act of censorship by Google-YouTube, the value of advertising on their media goes down as audiences dwindle. With each attempted cancellation they are cancelling themselves.
What did you expect? Google’s employees wanted to do this anyway.
The new evil of our age is “SCIENTISM”, where it becomes de facto correct that scientists supporting the preferred narrative of our internet supremos are given priority over the penalised scientists sceptical of the required narrative. Climate Change Sceptics, Great Barrington Declaration proponents to mention two recent examples. ,