Google tries to financially strangle leading conservative think tank and then backs off

American Thinker ^ | 05/07/2019 | Thomas Lifson

[SeekAndFind]

Calling it a “mistake,” Google has reversed its decision to not allow the Claremont Institute to advertise its 40^th Anniversary Gala honoring Secretary of State Pompeo.

Many nonprofits rely on selling tickets to galas honoring important public figures for the bulk of their fundraising, both from tickets, and from donations that come from people attracted to attend the gala.

In other words, limiting Claremont’s ability to attract ticket buyers and donors to its important event was an attack on its financial survivability.

If you do not know the Claremont Institute and do not read its superb Claremont Review of Books, take it from me that you are missing the most intellectually honest and deep conservative thinking available today. And there is nothing racist about it.

Claremont explained the effort to censor it in a Twitter thread that Steven Hayward of Powerline unspooled:

A thread on Google suppression of free thought:

The Claremont Institute has launched a campaign to engage our fellow citizens in discussion and debate about what it means to be American. (@jeffgiesea @realDonaldTrump@RaheemKassam @DonaldJTrumpJr)

As part of that effort, we have begun to point out the increasingly existential danger of identity politics and political correctness to our republic. As if to prove our point, Google has judged our argument as wrongthink that should be forbidden.

They are now punishing us for our political thought by refusing to let us advertise to our own readers.

We wanted to show adverts for our May 11 40th Anniversary Gala, at which we’re honoring Sec. of State Mike Pompeo, to readers of our own online publication, American Mind.

But Google refuses to allow us to do so. (If you’re interested, buy tickets here: claremont.org/gala—Monday is the deadline!)

[junta]

And those nice bow tie wearing intellectuals just know in their hearts the cultural marxist crocodile will never eat them, only the bad people will be eaten.

[Westbrook]

Avoid using google anything.

They are our sworn enemies.

If you want unbiased, uncensored, anonymous search, use gibiru.com

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Calling it a “mistake,” Google has reversed its decision to not allow the Claremont Institute to advertise its 40th Anniversary Gala honoring Secretary of State Pompeo.

If they were mistakes, these censorship incidents would affect left-wing institutions equally. But they don't. Google has started exhibiting an overwhelmingly left-wing bias, after it has built itself into the position of Internet gatekeeper. Companies like Google and Facebook can't hide behind claims that they are private corporations because they now control the forums for public discourse in the US and in many other countries. Rush Limbaugh's aging radio audience does not put conservatives on an equal footing with social media companies shaping the politics of the next generations of Americans.

Unless we want the discussion of politics to be done along the guidelines set by leftists at Google and Facebook, conservatives must get beyond the "but they're private companies" outlook - these are not GM and Ford, they are companies who decide which political views can be aired in today's America. There is a public interest in ensuring that Google, Facebook, and other Internet companies are regulated for fairness and equal time for all political points of view.

[Zathras]

As I’ve said before, Google owns 90% of the server farms.
This thread is most likely passing thru one of them.
The only way to attack Google is with Anti-Trust and the GOP-e is unlikely to even understand what is going on, let alone charging Google-FB with Anti-Trust.

[Westbrook]

> Google owns 90% of the server farms.

While that may be true, using sites like giburu deprives google of their demographic keylogging, as well as providing you with uncensored results.

[Justa]

This is a commerce issue. Google is effectivly blocking their ability to use google’s electronic media (google’s advertising monopoly) to advertise and engage in commercial activity.

It is punitive and monopolistic. Google, Twitter, FB, etc. should be financially liable.

Google should be broken up for being an online advertising monopoly engaged in punitive, anti-commerce activities.

[Political Junkie Too]

This is no different than if AT&T blocked conservative universities from calling people to request donations, or if UPS refused to deliver packages from conservative businesses.

-PJ

[KyCats]

These massive new communication companies have become absolute monopolies and are no longer entitled to engage in commerce free of governmental oversight. Break them up. Google. Twitter. Facebook. Break them all into the modern equivalent of the Baby Bells.

[Spirochete]

If you want unbiased, uncensored, anonymous search, use gibiru.com

Giburu only yields search results if I enable google.com in my script blocker (NoScript).

[Westbrook]

> Giburu only yields search results if I enable google.com in
> my script blocker (NoScript).

Please explain for those, like myself, who are not web cognoscenti.

[lepton]

They are monopolies within their purview, with barriers to significant entry into their market having reached a critical mass.

[lepton]

They are monopolies within their purview, with barriers to significant entry into their market having reached a critical mass.

I might also note that they didn’t get to their current positions by behaving in the manner they are behaving now that they have control.

[Spirochete]

Please explain for those, like myself, who are not web cognoscenti.

A blocker prevents website scripts (programming) from executing unless you allow them. NoScript allows you to allow or prohibit scripts, temporarily or permanently.

Gibiru doesn't appear to work unless Google's scripts are allowed. I'll stick with DuckDuckGo.

[Spirochete]

As I’ve said before, Google owns 90% of the server farms. This thread is most likely passing thru one of them.

Free Republic uses Google Analytics. It's one of the scripting servers I block when I visit here.