Google advertises Hamas

YNet News ^ | Mar. 27, 2005 | Roee Nahmias and Gal Mor

[JohnathanRGalt]

Google advertises Hamas

Terror organization uses search engine to promote website of its military wing Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades

By Roee Nahmias and Gal Mor, (03.27.05, 19:38)

Terror organizations are advancing their recruitment and public relations methods: Internet surfers who enter the word “Hamas” in Arabic in the Google search engine, will view, in addition to the search results, an AdWord message that links directly to the website of the organization’s military faction Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
 
The link also appears in a search of several other words, such as the “Gaza,” “Palestine,” “Jihad.”
 
This indicates that a Hamas source has paid Google, the most popular search engine on the web, for the advertisement.
 
The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades website holds updated and diverse information: Along with news updates stories from the news agencies, the site also publishes interviews with the organization’s leaders.
 
In one such interview, Hamas member Said Badarna, who is imprisoned in Israel, says, “abductions are the only way to release prisoners being held in Israel.”
 
Google’s AdWord service offer registered surfers the opportunity to purchase search words and post text messages that are linked to certain websites.
 
The AdWords also appear in G-mail, Google’s email service, and on other websites on Google’s advertising network Adsense.

Moved operations to Eastern Europe

Google has automatic filters that prohibit the posting of links to “problematic” websites, such as gambling and sex websites, but as of now they can only identify English words.
 
Company Spokeswoman Debbie Frost said “we took care of the matter as soon as Ynet turned to us,” but Ynet has learned the advertisements have not been removed as of yet.
 
Reuven Erlich of The Information Center for Intelligence and Terror says Hamas is the Palestinian terror organization with the most advanced Internet services.
 
“In the past, when services provided by American companies to terror organizations were exposed, those companies quickly halted that support,” he says.

“So, a trend was created whereby Hamas’ Internet quality infrastructure moved to Eastern European countries.”
 
According to The Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center , Hamas and other international terror organizations utilize the Internet to distribute terror-enticing messages and to maintain contact between the different organizations and their target audiences with almost no supervision or censorship.
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http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/1,7340,L-3064050,00.html

[JohnathanRGalt]

Jehadi website ping: (let me know if you want on or off)

[Texas Eagle]

Thanks for the heads up. We have the Google search engine as our home page.

Or I should say "had".

[ColdWarNavyVet_dirsup]

when they open a door, use it against 'em ;-)

[Brofholdonow]

Ain't this grand! The advertising opportunities on Goofball will be endless! Just think of who might begin advertising:

-Dr. Kevorkian
-Nambla
-Discount botox shipped mail order from Canada to democrat Presidential candidates
-Ankle bracelets for democrat presidential candidates with elephantine legs from New York
-Do-it-yourself wife killing kits for husbands who moved on to a current concubine.

The possibilities are endless!

[soccer_linux_mozilla]

Thanks for the heads up

[Valin]

Has anyone gotten in contact with Google about this?

[JohnathanRGalt]

The world's biggest, best-loved search engine owes its success to supreme technology and a simple rule: "Don't be evil". Now the geek icon is finding that moral compromise is just the cost of doing big business.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.01/google.html

[JohnathanRGalt]

Yes.

[Google] Company Spokeswoman Debbie Frost said “we took care of the matter as soon as Ynet turned to us,” but Ynet has learned the advertisements have not been removed as of yet.

You need to input the keywords "Hamas" or "Jehad" in Arabic, not English in order to see the links.

[Valin]

Thanks.

"but Ynet has learned the advertisements have not been removed as of yet."

Sounds to me like they need a little....encouragement.

Hopefuly it's just a simple screwup in communications.

[Cindy]

This isn't the same Google that has Google News and one of the sources when googling in Google News I've come across is jihadunspun. Isn't that amazing?

[SunkenCiv]

If true, an "axis of weasels" and "war on terror" ping.

[Milhous]

As far as search engines go, Google has become the only game in town.

Prediction: Gatekeeping control freaks loom in the future of those who become too dependent on giggle. A few alternatives:

AltaVista

ASTALAVISTA SECURITY GROUP : Information Security Portal

Dogpile - Advanced Search

Geocrawler.com - Welcome

HotBot Advanced Search

Internet Archive: Wayback Machine

LookSmart's FindArticles - Results for ""

Lycos Advanced Search

MSN Search -- More Useful Everyday

Netcraft Web Site Finder

Open Directory Advanced Search

Vivísimo - Clustered search on

WebCrawler

WiseNut -- WiseSearch

Search Tools - Information, Guides and News

Yahoo! Advanced Web Search

[lancer]

Has anyone gotten in contact with Google about this?

I'd say let it go. I'm sure someone is watching it.

[Valin]

I'm sure someone is watching it.

I hope you're right.

[lancer]

If they aren't, it's because they didn't get my email yet...