This week’s column in Teh Chonic is Don’t Be Evil (Or A Dyke, Or Trans): Google’s AdWords confuses transgender terms with teen porn. We’ve all laughed (or shrieked) at the mis-matching of Google AdWords to search terms, or emails in Gmail — but in this case, sex-positive trans porn company Red Handed Porn found they only had offensive terms to choose among in AdWords. (While terms like “dyke” are considered ‘teen porn concepts’.) The article has a screenshot and lots of details — and hopefully this might lead to better dialogue between advertisers, ad businesses and the people they’re trying to reach. Or something.
Google has now responded to me. To be clear, I did contact Google for comments prior to the article, and I received immediate and cordial responses. But unless (and until) something was clearly stated “for publication” my editor added to the article, “(Unfortunately, Google did not respond to my request for comment for this piece.)” After a few emails this morning/afternoon between myself and a Google rep clearing up what was okay to quote, Google tells me,
“We appreciate the feedback from the parties in question and the opportunity
to hear different perspectives. We will use this information and other
feedback, including how these terms will actually get used in ads, to
further develop and refine lists that we use to identify potentially
unacceptable content. It is important to Google that we are effectively
addressing the needs and concerns of both our advertisers and users.”
The timing on this is very interesting, considering I was just on a panel about monetizing online content (specifically vlogging and independently made video content). Pairing ads with content, it seems, is a political minefield. These stodgy old companies — the advertisers — are used to having “safe” channels for their ads. Now they’re afraid of new media, but that’s where all the viewers are going. They know nothing about new media and how it works, and they’ve grown completely out of touch with their audience. They have had no need to know or care who we are (or in this case, what we call ourselves). One of the interesting parts of the panel discussion was hearing Nate Pagel from Podaddies (who is a *really* cool guy, BTW) and Mike Hudack from Blip.tv (!toptensexy!) talk about advertisers’ fear of being paired with indy content. The question here is, why? We discussed that the answers lie in these companies’ fears at the lack of control over indy content. Of course, that’s why we do it, of course, that’s why we get the traffic, of course that’s why indy media and self publishing *is important*. We can — and will — say things old media, and mainstream media won’t or can’t because they are beholden to the requirements of their advertisers, necessitating “safe” content (like on CNN, ABC, etc)… But I digress. It was discussed that one of the advertisers stating they were unwilling to be paired with indy vlog content is the US military. Enough said.
But now, I think advertisers and ad-generating services like AdWords (and like AdBrite, who I dumped for these reasons) need to do the work to forge a better understanding of who they’re working for on both sides of the equation.
In response to my article, Marketing Shift writes in Google Needs Sex Education, “Algorithms that try to determine context or intent must be continually tweaked by actual people who understand how words are used in contemporary language. As in this example, sometime automation can give results that go against logic, and Google needs to be aware when that happens.”
See also: Search Engine Land writes, When AdWords Gets Sex Wrong.
Go read the column already! Snip:
With equal parts bitter irony, offense and amusement, I receive regular e-mails from Open Source Sex readers about the keyword-generated Google AdWords text ads that regularly populate the bottom of this page. Take a look at a few of my columns — especially the porn entries — and you’ll be, er, treated to a fat serving of sexually shaming “porn addiction — get help” text ads. Which, of course, run totally against the grain of the pro-porn message I’m dishing out. Because I want you all to get help, too — help finding better porn, that is.
But I’ve never been shocked about this: Google AdWords has a rep for pairing inappropriate (if not offensive) text ads with the original content it’s posted with — especially when it comes to sex. AdWords’ insensitivities might seem trifling or even amusing on the surface (let’s assume those of you reading my column feel OK about porn enough to disregard the douchey anti-porn ads at the bottom of the page), but those trying to make a positive change in the way their sexuality is portrayed in the wider culture are facing a David vs. Goliath battle of keywords.
Link.
Updates: Tony Comstock has commentary here; the SF Gate Culture Blog has a deliciously snarky response to Google’s comment (with a great screenshot of today’s AdWords that are alongside my column). Also, Boots from Red Handed emails to thank me, and to say, “Oh, one point of clarification though. We do shoot trans folk, do advertise that content, but really we are a masturbation site. 65% or more of our performers are bio-women. The remaining performers are all over the gender spectrum. We even shoot some bona fide het guys.” Yummy stuff.
