Rules violated, Google removes 3.2 billion ads
More than 7,000 AdWords accounts has also been suspended for tabloid cloaking violations.
Hyderabad: Google has got rid of over 100 bad advertisements per second last year. Like Facebook and Twitter, Google is trying to implement stringent rules to curb the spread of misleading or false information via its platforms.
If you have ever browsed the internet, you will most likely have seen ads that read something along the lines of “What this person did will blow your mind” or “What happened next will restore your faith in humanity”. When you click on such ads, you are usually either redirected to a non-secure page or forced to install unwanted software.
“In recent years, scammers have tried to sell weight-loss by buying ad space and posting what looks like sensational news headlines,” says Scott Spencer, the Director of Sustainable Ads at Google.
In order to put an end to such practices, Google took down over 3.2 billion ads that violated its advertising policies in 2017. It also suspended over 7,000 AdWords accounts for tabloid cloaking violations, up from 1,400 in 2016. The company is trying to be more vigilant regarding the propagation of misinformation on its platforms. Negative experiences hurt the entire ecosystem. Google has published its latest annual Bad Ads Report in which it has assessed its progress in curtailing the spread of false information.
“Many website owners use our advertising platforms, like AdSense, to run Google ads on their sites and make money. Last year, we paid $12.6 billion to publishing partners in our ad network. However, in order to make money from Google ads, you have to play by the rules – and that means respecting user experience more than the ads,” says Mr Spencer in a blog post.