Google says it’s trying to crack down on misinformation and price-gouging by banning most ads relating to coronavirus. But there’s a presidential campaign on, the guy in office is not shy about using government resources to promote himself, and Google’s policy is blocking Democrats from getting their message about coronavirus policy to the public. That’s going a little too far—and it stands to help Trump.
“I totally understand if they want to ban for-profit entities from talking about coronavirus," digital advertising consultant Josh Koster told Protocol. "They're trying to avoid people price-gouging face masks and selling fake cures, and generally exploiting the crisis for profit. But that's an entirely separate use-case from nonprofit organizations trying to spread accurate information about the situation and holding elected officials accountable for the life-and-death decisions they are currently making.”
Google’s official position is that “we are currently blocking ads related to coronavirus under our sensitive events policy, with exception of government PSAs on important health information” and, yay, "this policy applies to all advertisers equally, including all political advertisers.” But we’re talking about an administration headed by someone who wanted to put his own signature on stimulus checks even though standard procedure would be for a civil servant to sign them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention already sent out an informational mailing with Trump's name on it.
The government’s coronavirus content is not apolitical, in other words. Running that but not legitimate and truthful ads from politicians and organizations with policy commentary is effectively a pro-Trump policy.
”For Google to basically say that the Trump administration is the only entity that is allowed to talk about the most important issue in politics really puts their thumb on the scale of the incumbent president and against anyone who is really looking to challenge him,” digital advertising consultant Eli Kaplan told Protocol.
Former vice president and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, for instance, has things to say. He should be able to get his message out.
Sen. Chris Murphy responded to the report on Google's policy, tweeting, “If true, this is a massive mistake that needs to be fixed ASAP. If not, just more reason to break up these information monopolies.”