In what has to be described as the most idiotic marketing strategy ever conceived, the United States Air Force is demanding that a “viral” recruitment video touting the benefits of the Air Force Cyber Command division be removed from YouTube for violating copyright infringement.

If you’re feeling confused after reading that first paragraph, you’re not alone. There are so many things wrong here that I barely know where to begin. But let’s start with this little nugget: US government works are not copyrightable– this includes all works produced for and by the US military. Seems like a pretty open and shut case, right? Well, it should be, but unfortunately that’s only the beginning of this ridiculous saga.

Ignoring for a moment the fact the US government works are not eligible for copyright status, and are in fact owned by “we the people” of the United States, the US Air Force web site also contains a privacy policy which clearly states, “information presented on the Air Force recruiting web site is considered public information and may be distributed or copied.” So how is it possible that the Air Force is demanding that YouTube remove a recruitment video–a video which was made by and designed to PROMOTE the U. S. Air Force? It boggles the mind.

But the insanity doesn’t stop there; let’s consider another important fact in this case: the recruitment video in question is designed as a “viral” Internet video, and was created specifically for online consumption. Is it possible that the US Air Force doesn’t understand what a “viral” video is?

You’d think they would consider it a major success to have their recruitment video shared freely on YouTube, MySpace and other popular web sites, but instead, the Air Force sent a DMCA notice, signed by a representing attorney, and requesting that YouTube immediately remove the video in question.

Amazingly, YouTube caved in and complied with the bogus request, even though there was not one single legal reason for doing so, and the very act of removing the video from their site practically ensures that the “viral” recruitment video will be unsuccessful online.

Wired.com was not so spineless about the matter however, and they continue to host the recruitment video on their web site. They are also hosting a copy of the DMCA notice presented to YouTube, and offer a clear explanation of the various legal problems with that document, including the inescapable fact that US government media may NOT be copyrighted.

Normally I would try to find some explanation for why the Air Force is carrying on this way; but in this case, it absolutely defies reason and common sense. I searched online to see what other pundits thought, and quickly found that, like me, no one else had a clue. It’s either a case of extreme (and I mean extreme) incompetence, or a marketing plan that is so diabolically clever that it flies right over the heads of ordinary mortals.

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Google Inc. has set up a charity to help the homeless in San Francisco by offering free phone and voicemail services. The new project is a collaboration between the recent Google acquisition, Grand Central, and the San Francisco Mayor’s Office.

Project CARE, as the new plan is called, is intended to improve the situations of people living on the streets in San Francisco. The Google contribution will provide homeless individuals with free phone services to enable them to stay in touch with family and friends, and also provide a free phone number and computerized voice mail service for each individual.

This last point is critical because many homeless people find it impossible to get a job and get off the streets without having a valid phone number. Another critical part of Project CARE is getting the homeless instant access to health care providers. The services will be provided at city-owned homeless shelters, as well as private and charitable foundation shelters.

The vision for project CARE is to begin in San Francisco, and quickly spread throughout the country, focusing first on large metropolitan areas which tend to have greater homeless populations. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said Google’s contribution was “an extraordinary step forward in the city’s commitment to a comprehensive approach to addressing the needs of this vulnerable community.”

Of course, the primary concern of all homeless advocates is to get individuals off the streets, and into a safe home environment. But until that time, the homeless are certainly much better off having access to free phone services and voicemail, as well as the ability to contact health-care providers and social workers at a moments notice.

While the new project CARE is certainly not going to end homelessness in San Francisco, it is a useful step forward, and provides individuals with the ability to stay connected to family, friends, social workers, health-care providers and law enforcement. One of the biggest challenges for the homeless is the lack of communication with the outside world. Without access to a phone, voicemail and these types of services, they can become increasingly isolated and vulnerable on the streets.

It’s good to see Google taking a charitable step in this direction, and providing services in their area of expertise. Financially, Google has been nothing short of a powerhouse, and has seen skyrocketing profits over the past several years. Hopefully, the company will live up to their corporate motto, “don’t be evil,” by using their considerable clout to develop real solutions for some of the problems facing humanity.

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