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Google Ads plays a pivotal role in shaping the digital advertising landscape, ensuring that ads served on its platforms are trustworthy, transparent, and comply with global regulations. Here’s a comprehensive overview of these policies:
1. Impact of the Ukraine Conflict on Ads
Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Google has enforced several measures to restrict ads related to the conflict. These include:
- Pausing Ads that Exploit the War: Ads that exploit, dismiss, or condone the war are paused indefinitely.
- Suspension of Ads in Russia: Google has suspended ads from serving users in Russia and on Google properties globally for advertisers based in Russia.
- State-Funded Media: Ads from Russian Federation state-funded media are paused as part of a sensitive event response.
These steps underscore Google’s dedication to fostering a responsible advertising environment, especially during sensitive geopolitical events.
2. Non-Family Safe Products
Certain products classified as non-family safe are restricted on Display & Video 360. This includes:
- Creative Approval: Ads must adhere to Google Ads policies and undergo manual review if they contain sensitive content. Manual review usually takes 24 hours.
- Advertiser Verification: Advertisers may need to verify their legal name and complete the verification program to serve ads. Non-compliance with verification requirements could lead to account suspension.
3. Restricted Categories and Certification Requirements
- Alcohol: Ads related to alcoholic beverages must comply with local laws and Google’s Alcohol Policy. Only in allowed regions can these ads be served.
- Election Advertising: Political ads must meet Google’s Political Content policy and local regulations. In certain regions, verification is mandatory, especially for ads containing synthetic content. Verified advertisers must disclose such content clearly.
- Gambling: Google restricts gambling-related ads to specific countries, requiring advertisers to certify their domains. Ads must target only approved countries and follow responsible gambling guidelines.
- Financial Products and Services: Advertisers must comply with Google’s Financial Products and Services policy. Certification is needed for complex speculative products, cryptocurrency exchanges, and debt services, with strict targeting rules.
- Healthcare and Medicines: Healthcare ads require certification, especially for pharmaceutical content, addiction services, and other sensitive areas. Certification varies by country, and Google ensures compliance with local healthcare regulations.
- Recreational Drugs: Advertisers dealing with recreational drugs like CBD must adhere to Google’s Dangerous Products and Services policy. Certification from LegitScript is mandatory, particularly for topical CBD and FDA-approved pharmaceuticals.
4. Process for Certification and Verification
Advertisers targeting restricted categories must undergo a certification process, which includes:
- Submitting Applications: Advertisers must submit detailed applications for each country they target. This includes verification of domain ownership and compliance with specific ad policies.
- Proactive Admin Initiatives: Partner admins can initiate verification proactively, ensuring transparency and adherence to Google’s standards.
Failure to comply with these certification and verification requirements could result in ad campaigns being paused or restricted.
5. Transparency and Disclosure
Google emphasizes transparency in advertising. Verified advertisers are required to disclose specific information, such as synthetic content, ensuring that users are informed and can trust the content they encounter.
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