Google.co.uk is, like it parent Google.com, site using its ubiquity to good effect following the Haiti earthquake. It is linking to "Information, resources, and ways you can help survivors of the Haiti earthquake."
Unfortunately, the UK site is linking to exactly the same organisations as the US site. It is encouraging Britons to donate their dollars to UNICEF and CARE International.
It is listing the text-to-donate numbers (which of course don't work in the UK) for US nonprofits involved in responding to the Haiti crisis.
It is presumably racking up currency conversion costs by encouraging UK donors to give in dollars. Or if they gave in sterling, the US nonprofits would have to accommodate currency costs.
It's a very powerful use of Google's influence with the general public.
Unfortunately, on google.co.uk it is misplaced, and is almost certainly limiting the amount that UK donors would give. At the very least, by not linking to UK charities on its UK site, it is failing to mention and encourage donors to give by Gift Aid.
So, for every pound that is given via the UK site, 28p in Gift Aid is not possible.
Why doesn't Google UK not link to the DEC Emergency Appeal? It is the consortium of overseas aid agencies, all acting and speaking with one voice. Google doesn't even need to choose which of the charities to promote. DEC makes it easy.
This issue, and the related issue of US Haiti appeal adverts appearing on google.co.uk search results for "Haiti", was spotted on Thursday morning (two and a half days ago) by me and the Director of Fundraising of one of the DEC member charities.
The Director emailed Google.co.uk but hadn't got a response. The advertising issue was subsequently fixed.
But the failure to link to and encourage donations to the DEC on google.co.uk has not. I've tweeted about that a few hours ago, and lots of people have retweeted it.
Let's get it fixed. Let's help Google.co.uk make the very best of its well-motivated attempt to support the vicitms of the Haitian earthquake.
To misquote Google's famed motto: it's not a case of "don't do evil", but "do good better".
www.google.co.uk
