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Google Now Censoring Firearms Related Searches

Gil223

Regular Member
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Jan 5, 2012
Messages
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Location
Weber County Utah
I just got this in an email from CheaperThanDirt.com, and thought a few people here might find it of interest:
There are some very unsettling things coming from Google this week. If you do a shopping search for firearms-related products using Google, you will now get back nothing. Google is censoring their results for firearms and ammunition. This will effectively put an end to an era of ease when comparing gun prices from different merchants. Customers will now have to research their firearms purchases manually at individual websites. Google has made great strides in the past on eliminating Internet censorship, but the California-based company seems to have it in for the firearms industry—and they are not alone.
That is only the introductory paragraph. For the details see: http://cheaperthandirt.com/blog/?p=23469
I will now stop using Google as my primary search engine, and will never use the Google Chrome browser. Pax...

P.S. I just did a Google search for gun shops in Weber County UT and got results, same for firearms manufacturers, and ammunition manufacturers. Is Google slow to implement, did they possibly rethink their position, or did CTD jump the gun (no pun intended)? Pax...
 
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thebigsd

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Mar 23, 2010
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Quarryville, PA
I too searched a number of gun-related items and got my typical instant results. I am not seeing any difference in my searches than before.
 

jhco50

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Aug 25, 2010
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Colorado
I quit using Google a couple of months ago, at least directly. Try Startpage.com
 

kcgunfan

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Feb 22, 2011
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KC
Let me explain, there is Google search, which is what you get at www.google.com. That has not changed. Then there is a specialized shopping search service that used to be called.froogle, that has changed.

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2
 

MAC702

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Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
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Nevada
CheaperThanDirt said:
This will effectively put an end to an era of ease when comparing gun prices from different merchants. Customers will now have to research their firearms purchases manually at individual websites.

Well, that was a little melodramatic, considering there are alternatives to Google Shopping, Yahoo Shopping being the most obvious.

Well, for my part, I've switched all three of my business E-mail addresses to Yahoo. I've switched from Google Chrome to Mozilla Firefox (which I'm not liking yet) for my browser, and now have Yahoo as all my default search engines. It's taking a little bit of getting used to it, and I still miss Chrome, but as far as I am concerned, everything Google can now kiss my ass.

I used to use Google Shopping for significant purchases (most were non-firearms anyway) every week. Yahoo Shopping is different, but is so far getting the job done.
 
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mwaterous

Regular Member
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Jun 1, 2012
Messages
197
Location
New Mexico
I quit using Google a couple of months ago, at least directly. Try Startpage.com

Are you the same marketing agent on the survivalist boards who just posted this?

Anybody recommending a Google alternative should probably make sure their alternative isn't powered by Google. ;)
 

gobbly

Regular Member
Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
75
Location
Utah
Google isn't censoring searches. They are removing firearms from their shopping marketplace. There are some legal issues with the way their shopping site works and california firearms law (they are based in cali). This isn't so much an attempt at censorship as it is google deciding that they aren't going to deal with the legal issue of becoming a firearms dealer.

In short, google shopping is not google search.
 

Gil223

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
1,392
Location
Weber County Utah
Google isn't censoring searches. They are removing firearms from their shopping marketplace. There are some legal issues with the way their shopping site works and california firearms law (they are based in cali). This isn't so much an attempt at censorship as it is google deciding that they aren't going to deal with the legal issue of becoming a firearms dealer.

Ridiculous gun laws... another of the myriad of reasons I will have nothing to do with the state of Kalifornia. Pax...

P.S. Thanks to EVERYBODY for your interest and input on this subject. :)
 

MAC702

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Nevada
Google isn't censoring searches. They are removing firearms from their shopping marketplace. There are some legal issues with the way their shopping site works and california firearms law (they are based in cali). This isn't so much an attempt at censorship as it is google deciding that they aren't going to deal with the legal issue of becoming a firearms dealer...

They are removing ammunition, and possibly other accessories, also.

Does California allow advertising of such things to only be done by FFLs?

Was Google always based in CA?
 
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Automatica

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2011
Messages
29
Location
Communist California
Was Google always based in CA?

Yes, in Sunnyvale.

It may be time for Google to move to off shore servers and incorporate in a state that would be more than happy to have some of their business. Will it happen? No... but if it was my buisness I'd tell CA to **** off, incorporate the business in another easier state, move servers to a country that really didn't give a rat's rear about how I ran my business, and if needed relocate employees/hire new ones.

Regarding the FFL -
http://oag.ca.gov/firearms/dlrfaqs#1G

Something I've been looking into as I would like to figure out how to bring some toys back from my travels abroad.
 
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END_THE_FED

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2010
Messages
925
Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Google is making major changes to their "shopping" site. From the little I read it seems it will only hit on sites that advertise with Google.

I use Google shopping all the time. It is great for comparing prices from a lot of different online retailers. I am not thrilled about the new changes but will take the "wait and see approach".

Here is some info from Google about the change. http://googlecommerce.blogspot.com/2012/05/building-better-shopping-experience.html
 

gobbly

Regular Member
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May 28, 2012
Messages
75
Location
Utah
They are removing ammunition, and possibly other accessories, also.

Does California allow advertising of such things to only be done by FFLs?

Was Google always based in CA?

I'm not sure on cali law, but their shopping has evolved. They used to just link you through to sites, like a search that was just for finding items avail for sale, but it is slowly turning into a marketplace, and it seems that google wants to turn it into something more like amazon.
 

Gil223

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Jan 5, 2012
Messages
1,392
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Weber County Utah
I'm not sure on cali law, but their shopping has evolved. They used to just link you through to sites, like a search that was just for finding items avail for sale, but it is slowly turning into a marketplace, and it seems that google wants to turn it into something more like amazon.

I was just struck by this thought... If Google is only providing an electronic storefront for sellers, why would Google have to have a FFL? Why would that be any different than if Google were landlord of a physical wholesale/distributorship/retail firearms business? Landlords aren't selling the firearms, so they don't need an FFL. I'm beginning to think there's 'something fishy going on' with Google's explanation. Pax...
 

Dreamer

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Sep 23, 2009
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Location
Grennsboro NC
I'm not sure on cali law, but their shopping has evolved. They used to just link you through to sites, like a search that was just for finding items avail for sale, but it is slowly turning into a marketplace, and it seems that google wants to turn it into something more like amazon.


Well, the obvious answer to this situation is to reform the firearms purchase laws, so that you can buy guns online, like you used to do through a Sears and Roebuck catalog... ;)
 

MAC702

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Jul 31, 2011
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Location
Nevada
A couple times I've used Google on accident, usually by a default I didn't catch. I then put "Yahoo Shopping" in the Google search box, and proceeded to carry on...
 
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