Breitbart.com is reporting that Google is targeting gun, ammunition and accessory advertising in what appears to be a new anti-gun policy:

According to Google Support’s “Dangerous Products or Services” page, the company “[wants] to keep people safe both online and offline, so [they] won’t allow the promotion of some products or services that cause damage, harm, or injury.”

Included in the dangerous products for which ads will be blocked are “Guns & Parts.” This covers “functional devices that appear to discharge a projectile at high velocity, whether for sport, self-defense, or combat.”

Also included is a ban on ads for “any part or component that’s necessary to the function of a gun or intended for attachment to a gun.” This covers “gun scopes, ammunition, ammunition clips or belts.”

It sounds like a big deal… until you realize that the section Breitbart highlighted is just a small part of a larger policy that affects only Google AdWords text advertising, and that AdWords has had policies against advertising firearms, ammunition, and accessories for quite a while.

This will not affect Google search results and is quite frankly, much ado about nothing.

Don’t let yourself get too spun up over this. You’re not likely to notice any difference at all.