This gay marriage activist wants to SILENCE opposition, apparently

May 7, 2009 6:36 AM

How can I quickly and effectively complain to YouTube about ads they're running?

Maybe I'm just spoiled by MeFi's ad policy, but it makes my brain boil to have to look at this ad while I watch my YouTube videos, even while signed into my own account.

I want to write or call and voice my opinion, but the phone number on their contact page leads to a labyrinthine menu that ultimately says that customer service is not available. I can't find an email address for a relevant department. And while I have no problem sending them a paper letter, I'd like to be able to share this issue with other people on the internet in a way that offers them a direct method of communication with the site.

What is the most effective way to approach the company on this topic?

posted by hermitosis to computers & internet (14 comments total)

You could install Adblock plus on firefox, and just right click and choose adblock image.

I use that to stop any type of advert.
posted by the_epicurean at 6:53 AM on May 7

Clickthroughs cost the advertiser more money than impressions, and they support your favorite websites.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 7:00 AM on May 7

Are you opposed to political ads in general, or just the ones that do not support your position?
posted by smackfu at 7:25 AM on May 7 [1 favorite]

(Sorry, I'm not trying to be snarky, but I don't see how YouTube could take down ads that are anti-gay-marriage, and keep up ads that are pro-gay-marriage, without establishing their own political position.)
posted by smackfu at 7:30 AM on May 7

I'm not keen on political ads in general, which makes Adblock a nice option. But I'm particularly offended by this particular organization's callous assertion that they are being victimized for their beliefs. I feel a responsibility to share my opinion with any company who does business with them.
posted by hermitosis at 7:34 AM on May 7

Jut as an FYI and not a direct answer, as an organization that runs Google ads, we can basically refuse to run certain ads (you'd have to ask mathowie for more details) and regularly decide to do that with ads that we deem offensive to the general population here. YouTube is a fully owned subsidiary of Google but they are not Google so you migh thave some traction with them possibly.
posted by jessamyn at 7:55 AM on May 7

Another phone call revealed that there is no email or phone number that will put me in touch with any sort of customer service or ad sales. In fact, to engage them about ads at all you have to go through a whole separate process of filling out forms. Everything is designed to push you toward the user forums for any sort of complaint.

I found a "[e-mail]" address on their site, but when I wrote to it I got an insta-message telling me that it was invalid and referring me to, you guessed it, the forums.

After a conversation with one of my editors, I went ahead and sent an email to their Press Inquiries email address, and hope that they'll reply with some sort of useful comment.
posted by hermitosis at 9:20 AM on May 7

Sometimes twitter is a useful backdoor of sorts. Try messaging them at http://twitter.com/youtube.
posted by ocherdraco at 9:31 AM on May 7

It seems to me that if you succeed in getting YouTube to drop these ads, that's just going to support their case that they are being told to shut up because of their beliefs.
posted by chazlarson at 9:45 AM on May 7

YouTube claims to discourage ads that are "inflammatory or exploitative uses of political or religious issues," as well as "content that advocates against any person, organization or group of people," regardless of NOM's ridiculous "case."
posted by hermitosis at 10:07 AM on May 7

I think you should click on the ads and see what they have to say! They are paying A LOT OF MONEY to have those ads seen and clicked on!
posted by bensherman at 11:27 AM on May 7 [1 favorite]

We just blocked that ad from MeFi today, fwiw.
posted by jessamyn at 11:30 AM on May 7 [1 favorite]

Submit it to Ms. magazine's No Comment section.
posted by brujita at 10:19 PM on May 7

while i'm pro-marriage-as-a-civil-contract-between-2-adults

i'm also pro-letting-everyone-have-their-say...

let them say it and laugh at them...publicly - this would be more potent than having their ad removed...

as chazlarson implied higher up this thread, by getting their ad taken off of youtube, you'd basically turn NOM into martyrs....they will then milk it to death as to how the otherkind wants them to stfu and not enjoy the same rights of freedom-of-speech.

do you really want that?

ridicule them instead. blog about the ad. write letters to well-circulated online papers. poke fun at it on youtube's forums. this will bring attention to it, but not in a way that would instantly benefit NOM's "cause".

hope this helps.
posted by ravingOak at 4:30 PM on May 8