In 2021, Google announces that it has removed some 3.4 billion ads from its platforms, underlining its efforts to try to reassure its many users.
On an ongoing basis, thousands of people around the world work to prevent malicious use of the Google advertising network. The leitmotif, and even more at a time when regulations are tightening, is the following: to guarantee security to individuals, businesses and advertisers. Google refers to ” a fundamental work, because it is the advertisements that make it possible to support free access to the Internet and to information “. To stay one step ahead of potential threats and anticipate new regulations, the group introduced or updated no less than thirty rules intended for advertisers and publishers in 2021. Consequence: the moderation of advertisements has reached peaks at Google last year.
Strengthen advertiser checks against subterfuge and concealment techniques
In 2021, Google says it removed more than 3.4 billion ads worldwide. A colossal figure which is added to others, such as the 5.7 billion advertisements whose distribution has been limited, or the 5.6 million suspended advertiser accounts.
In addition, the Mountain View firm has also blocked or restricted the distribution of advertisements on more than 1.7 billion publisher pages. It has also taken measures that affect entire sites, on more than 63,000 publisher sites.
Last year, with the pervasive pandemic, Google was at times overwhelmed by fraudulent activities carried out by malicious individuals. ” We have observed their actions, more sophisticated, on a larger scale, and applying a multitude of tactics to escape our vigilance. “, explains the American giant. Among the methods used: the creation of thousands of accounts at the same time, which allows scammers to resort to concealment, and text manipulation, to make Google teams and systems believe that creatives and advertising texts are different from what users actually see.
To fight against this phenomenon and subterfuge, Google has reinforced the verification of the identity of advertisers as well as the detection of coordinated actions that would emanate from several separate accounts. Today, the company verifies the behavior of advertisers from 180 countries. As soon as one of them evades the slightest verification, Google automatically suspends it. The number of account suspensions is said to have tripled between 2020 and 2021.
More proactive actions and more transparency for users
In 2021, advertisements related to COVID-19 were blocked on more than 500,000 pages because they were considered dangerous health claims. Moreover, since the start of the pandemic, Google has blocked more than 106 million advertisements. Others were discarded because they relayed false information to users, especially during election periods. At the end of the year, Google precisely imposed new rules prohibiting content that contradicts scientific consensus, for example on the issue of climate change.
In recent months, Google has made available to brands a new feature that allows them to set up dynamic content exclusion lists. Trusted third parties can then store or modify them automatically. This tool offers advertisers better ways to strengthen the protection of their brand and, incidentally, the reach of their campaign. Even the comments posted by Internet users on such and such a site are now important! Google knows that advertisers attach particular importance to this detail.
To limit the risk of seeing malicious or inappropriate ads on sites, Google has mainly changed the publisher approval process. This way, the company can identify and block malicious actors even before they can create an account. And efforts are continuing this year, to better fight against non-compliance with the rules of Google platforms. The group is aware that its users will be better protected if advertisers are reliable. ” By offering more transparency and control over the advertisements that Internet users see, we aim to meet this objective. “says the firm. The “About this ad” button, deployed on each ad, demonstrates this effort.
Google takes the war in Ukraine very seriously
In 2022, Google quickly classified the war in Ukraine as a “sensitive event”, in an effort to prevent ads or advertisers from taking advantage of the situation. This decision is a logical continuation, since the company prohibits in its regulations the dissemination of advertisements and prohibits the monetization of content that incites violence or denies the existence of tragic events.
From the beginning of March, Google suspended the majority of its business activities in Russia. The firm notably blocked advertisements broadcast in the country and those published by Russian advertisers. At the same time, it ended the monetization of Moscow-funded media content.
Since the start of the invasion of Ukraine, Google has announced that it has blocked the distribution of 8 million advertisements directly related to the war. More than 60 Kremlin-funded outlets also had their ads removed.
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