Exclusive: Joseph Farah explains timeline of Google's decision to punish certain websites
In 2016, it happened. That's when Google began instituting blatant censorship. Yes, in 2016, before Donald Trump assumed office – before the election was called.
"Google plans to prohibit fake-news websites from using its ad-selling software, a move that could crimp revenue at those sites." That's how the Wall Street Journal first reported the breathtaking news that Google would have full authority to censor the news Americans read, hear and view.
A Wall Street Journal article from November 2016 reveals Google's plan to censor news coverage. (Screenshot)
The company took the dangerous step immediately before Donald Trump was elected president – presumably with the permission of Barack Obama and without consulting the possible incoming leader of the nation.
It tuns out President Trump didn't coin the term "fake news." The news media did it. Big Tech did it.
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On Nov. 14, 2016, Google said "it is updating its policies to ban Google ads being placed 'on pages that misrepresent, misstate, or conceal information about the publisher, the publisher's content, or the primary purpose of the website. The policy would include sites that distribute false news," according to a nameless spokeswoman.
Here's what else the WSJ report said: "False news stories, particularly those that spread widely on Facebook Inc.'s social network, became an issue during the recent presidential election. Google experienced its own mishap on Sunday when a false story on a right-wing blog erroneously stating Donald Trump won the popular vote appeared atop some Google search results."
"Some media commentators have urged tech companies to try to prevent the spread of such misinformation," said the Journal report. "Google's move to block some of such sites' revenue could prove a significant step in response to the controversy."
Keep in mind, all this because of a story by a "right-wing blog."
"Google has long prohibited AdSense from being used on sites that promote hate speech or include pornography and violent content," the report said. "Its policies previously didn't include language about sites that spread false content. A spokeswoman said the change to the policy was imminent, and that it follows existing Google policies that ban advertisements that misrepresent what they are marketing."
The company came under increased scrutiny after the 2016 election. It would start "shutting out websites that traffic in misinformation from its third-party ad services," Mashable reported later that day. This was the Deep State at work.
"Moving forward, we will restrict ad serving on pages that misrepresent, misstate, or conceal information about the publisher, the publisher's content, or the primary purpose of the web property," an anonymous Google spokesperson said in a statement.
I didn't even recall reading these stories so long ago, but they explain a lot going on in the here and now.
The story, disturbing for anyone operating according to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, went on to say, laughably, that "the company said the update was intended to match similar policies it already has in place to block deceitful ads such as weight-loss scams or false drug promises."
Deceitful ads? False drug promises?
That was never what this was about.
"The move comes as last week's election results bring online platforms under increased scrutiny over how much responsibility they have to ensure the veracity of the news they help circulate," Mashable reported. "Facebook, which has born (sic) the brunt of this backlash, repeatedly surfaced demonstrably false news stories in its trending topics section in the months leading up to the election – a disproportionate number from right-wing conspiracy sites."
It added: "Critics say the social network should do a better job of vetting these kinds of hoaxes," noting that Google was appointed to play cop to Facebook.
"Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly denied that hoaxes have any effect on public opinion among users, but it seems not everybody at the company agrees," the report said. "BuzzFeed reports that a group of 'renegade employees' have formed a task force to take on the scourge of fake news on the platform," it concluded.
BuzzFeed, a joke among serious new sites, went out of business on April 20, 2023. It was announced that BuzzFeed Media would be shuttering BuzzFeed News and focusing its news efforts into The Huffington Post, laying off about 180 workers.
And that's how real news is reported by the Wall Street Journal and Mashable.
You'll be hearing more on this in the days to come. I know Trump has a lot on his mind today as he continues to battle an array of lawsuits following the steal of his second run for the presidency and his campaign for a third run in 2024.
We can report today that at least two important news sites have been notified they were "permanently demonetized" by Google – WND, the first independent online journalism organization, founded in 1997 as a conservative, Christian property – and Gateway Pundit, a popular conservative news site. This week WND observes the second year without Google ads, which pretty much decimates our website's advertising revenue.
That is why WND is hurting financially and actually in danger of being shut down by Big Tech's immoral and unconstitutional suppression of free speech – especially truthful speech – which in turn is why I am compelled to humbly but urgently ask you for your support.
Thank you for helping us in this time of pressing need. We are forever grateful.
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