Over 3.4B Ads Removed, 5.6M Advertiser Accounts Suspended – Online Search Giant Reveals

Search giant, Google has disclosed in its newly released 2021 data that the company removed over 3.4 billion ads restricted over 5.7 billion, and suspended over 5.6 million advertiser accounts.

According to Google, thousands of Googlers work hard to prevent malicious use of the company’s advertising network in order to make it safer for people, businesses, and publishers.

Naija News reports that the search giant on Tuesday at the Google Ads Privacy Immersion workshop in Lagos revealed that such blocked or restricted ads were stopped from being served on 1.7 billion publisher pages.

It was gathered from Guardian that the tech firm affirmed that user safety is a major priority to it, therefore its decision to block or restrict ads and other monetised content on the platform.

The released data also revealed that 652.1 million ads found as abuse on the network were removed, adult content 286.8 million, trademarks 136.9 million, inappropriate content 125.6 million, gambling and games 75.1 million, healthcare and medicines 60 million.

Others are financial services 58.9 million, copyrights 44.2 million, misrepresentation 38.1 million, legal requirements 32.6 million, dangerous products and services 20.6 million, alcohol 9.4 million, enabling dishonest behaviour 7.9 million, personalised ads 2.2 million and counterfeit goods one million.

The search giant also restricted 1.4 billion trademarks, other restricted businesses 511.4 million, financial services 223 million, health care and medicines 219.3 million, alcohol 128.5 million, adult content 126.1 million, gambling and games 108.1 million, legal requirements 105.7million and copyrights 68.6 million.

Google said it took broader site-level enforcement action on approximately 63,000 publisher sites in Nigeria and other parts of the world, noting that important work needs to be done because an ad-supported Internet allows everyone to access essential information and diverse content, at no cost.

While speaking about how the firm evolves with the digital world, Google submitted that “Our policy development and enforcement strategies evolve with it, helping to prevent abuse while allowing businesses to reach new customers and grow.”

The search giant advanced that it has continued to invest in policies, a team of experts and enforcement technology to stay ahead of potential threats, including launching new policies and updating existing ones.

It also observed that in 2021, the firm updated over 30 policies on restrictions for advertisers and publishers including a policy prohibiting claims that promote climate change denial and a certification for U.S.-based health insurance providers to only allow ads from government exchanges, first-party providers and licensed third-party brokers.

It further noted that in the year under review, a multi-strike system for repeat policy violations was introduced, adding that online advertising can be a powerful way to reach customers in sensitive areas.

Google observed that “We work hard to avoid showing ads when and where they might be inappropriate. For that reason, we allow the promotion of the content below, but on a limited basis. These promotions may not show to every user in every location, and advertisers may need to meet additional requirements before their ads are eligible to run. Note that not all ad products, features, or networks are able to support restricted content.”

Naija News also gathered that the Managing Director of Google Africa, Nitin Gajria explained that people are becoming more concerned about how personal data is gathered, used, and shared online because more people are now trying to manage their lives online.

Gajria, who was reported to have spoken virtually at the event noted that access to quality information has become more important now because it helps people search for answers, find ways to save money, make more sustainable choices, and stay safe and informed.

He said for generations, ads have funded “Our favourite content: from newspapers, magazines, and entertainment to the web. Today 66% of the world is online. The ad-supported Internet model has become a remarkable resource for humanity, putting an explosion of tools, information, and content at our fingertips.

“In the last five years, search interest in private browsing increased by over 60% in Nigeria, over 30% in South Africa, and over 110% in Kenya. Kenya is the 15th country in the world that searched most for private browsing in the last five years and the African country that searched most for the topic.

“2022 was the year Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria searched most for private browsing since 2012. Make no mistake, this is important for businesses in Africa to acknowledge and respond to. People want great online experiences – delivered with the privacy they deserve, by brands they can trust. For advertisers in Africa, this presents a clear responsibility – but also an opportunity. Advertisers want ads that work, and to be able to measure what matters all while delivering respectful and private experiences online.”