Comments on: Defending America’s Foreign Policy One Adsense Unit At A Time

By: Jonathan Margolis

Jonathan Margolis — Thu, 08 May 2008 12:32:47 +0000

America.gov is a new State Department website to inform foreign audiences about U.S. policies, culture, and values. We buy Google Adwords in particular foreign countries to build awareness of the site.

Jonathan Margolis - U.S Department of State

By: George

George — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:04:19 +0000

Now all you have to do is prove that the US government paid for the ad. Anyone can pay for an ad and point it to the government’s web site. You know, like one of the ~30% of Americans who approve of the Bush administration.

In any case, I’d think it would be beneficial for people to actually know the government’s position instead of having to rely on the media to present it to them correctly…

By: Andy Wong

Andy Wong — Tue, 06 May 2008 06:08:49 +0000

Good move indeed. A tiny penny spent on adsense, millions more elsewhere.

Those who click the ad are either patriots of US, who love to hear the government’s message, or terrorists who want to waste American taxpayer’s money.

By: Quis

Quis — Tue, 06 May 2008 05:22:27 +0000

“Tax payer money well spent, or waste of money propaganda via Adsense units?”

Propaganda? How dare, you! Our rulers love us and our just protecting us from terrists. You are either with us or with the terrists and George Bush even said so himself. Don’t you know freedom is on the march?

By: J Lane

J Lane — Mon, 05 May 2008 22:56:59 +0000

@9 That’s kind of funny that they’d pick terrorism as a keyword…

Shit, the socialist in me just leaked out…

By: Logical Extremes

Logical Extremes — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:40:10 +0000

Someone should spell-check the site. In the bio section, see “revitilized” toward the end. Yikes!

By: JAV adminitracija reklamuoja užsienio politiką per Google : nežinau.lt

JAV adminitracija reklamuoja užsienio politiką per Google : nežinau.lt — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:30:22 +0000

[…] vyriausybės reklamą „Žmonės, nesikabinėkite! Darom, ką galim. Vyriausybe.lt“? Nes JAV administracija savo užsienio politikos reklamą jau pradėjo Google Adsense tinkle. Matysim, kaip tai efektyvu, bet atrodo tikrai progresyviai. […]

By: 9ice

9ice — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:02:38 +0000

Are you an adwords police or something? How do you find these? first Tom Cruise and now this one.

Not a bad propaganda for justifying an expansion program into the middle east. Everything happens on the net these days.

By: Jari

Jari — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:19:55 +0000

Haven’t run across one of these myself. Quite interesting.

By: Press Release Point

Press Release Point — Mon, 05 May 2008 09:08:56 +0000

Hi Duncan,

This looks like a rectangle block type ad from adsense. Where did you find this ad? Which site?

By: Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 05 May 2008 07:05:16 +0000

note to self. more write offs. money not well spent

By: HairBallTamer

HairBallTamer — Mon, 05 May 2008 06:27:26 +0000

I can’t imagine if the Bush admin is behind it that it’s money well spent. They are utterly incapable of spending taxpayer money wisely.

By: COP

COP — Mon, 05 May 2008 06:10:00 +0000

How do you know its sponsored by American Govt. ? any tom-dick-harry can buy Adwords.. GOOG doesnt give a shit.. where the link points to.. or who owns it.. or its spam. or whatever.. they are minting money.. cent by cent..

By: BJ Upton

BJ Upton — Mon, 05 May 2008 05:58:33 +0000

War is Peace?

By: Colin Percival

Colin Percival — Mon, 05 May 2008 05:32:27 +0000

J Lane, I’m in Canada and that advert shows up if I search for “terrorism”.

By: Sam Levenback » Public Diplomacy on the Internet

Sam Levenback » Public Diplomacy on the Internet — Mon, 05 May 2008 05:29:56 +0000

[…] State Department is advertising on Google to defend American foreign policy. Search the right phrase and you get a sponsored link to […]

By: Trace

Trace — Mon, 05 May 2008 05:19:45 +0000

http://fpolicy.america.gov/fpo.....rship.html

By: Campbell

Campbell — Mon, 05 May 2008 05:17:44 +0000

Its not April 1st again is it… “Peace and Security” and http://www.america.gov in the same ad? Me thinks its a joke, possibly paid for by Alkieda

By: J Lane

J Lane — Mon, 05 May 2008 05:10:12 +0000

I can’t seem to make them show up in Canada. Just searching for “American foreign policy”.

By: Rushabh Choksi

Rushabh Choksi — Mon, 05 May 2008 05:09:08 +0000

I think it is a good move.

By: Prokofy Neva

Prokofy Neva — Mon, 05 May 2008 05:07:33 +0000

And this is bad because…why? You wanted to leave the ad biz all to Mr. Lee’s Hong Kong?

By: Doug Williams

Doug Williams — Mon, 05 May 2008 04:58:16 +0000

So this is what it takes to get on TechCrunch these days…

By: Boris

Boris — Mon, 05 May 2008 04:48:43 +0000

Ok Duncan…?

By: Sean Hackbarth

Sean Hackbarth — Mon, 05 May 2008 04:48:33 +0000

It’s going to where people are gathering. Nowadays that’s online. This effort is right up there with Radio Free Europe and Voice of America.