Survey results point out that Google ads are displayed on inappropriate sites and sanctioned companies, Google counters that the report is incorrect



Google's

listing ads allow users to prioritize and display brands, products, and services as search results based on the words they search for, and to guide and promote their sites. These advertisements may be distributed even when searching on Google, and there have been many cases where these advertisements have been distributed to inappropriate locations such as adult sites and pirated sites, and where Google is targeting countries and companies that are subject to sanctions. Research indicates that advertising revenue may be shared.

Does a lack of transparency create brand safety concerns for search advertisers?
https://adalytics.io/blog/search-partners-transparency



Google search ads spotted in compromising placements | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/28/google-gsp-risks-adalytics-report/

Government Google ads show up on adult websites and in Iran • The Register
https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/29/government_google_ads/

Advertising research firm Adalytics released a research report on November 28, 2023 titled, “Does a lack of transparency in advertising raise brand safety concerns for advertisers?” . According to the report, it has been confirmed that listing ads that should be distributed exclusively to Google are also being distributed to many websites other than Google.

The image below is a screenshot taken by Adalytics on a site called Breitbart in November 2023. Since Breitbart is a news site that dictates far-right views, it has been revealed that BMW has blacklisted Breitbart for advertising, but in fact links to BMW are included as Google listing ads within Breitbart. is reported to have been displayed.



Furthermore, the image below shows job openings for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States displayed as a listing advertisement in a site search on an Italian adult site.



Displaying such Google listing advertisements also includes illegal porn sites, pirated content sites, and Iranian and Russian sites that are likely to be subject to sanctions by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). It is said that hundreds of cases have been confirmed.

Google has developed a service called the ' Search Partner Network ,' which allows websites to use the Google Search widget for on-site searches, and allows users to advertise to extend the reach of their Google Listing ads to websites other than Google. doing. However, Google's help states that ``Google Ads does not provide detailed information about the websites where ads are displayed on the search network,'' and this lack of transparency is a major problem. Adalytics points out. In addition, the policies that Google's search partners are required to comply with include, ``Distribution of advertisements in parallel with content that infringes copyright or content that contains sexual depictions is prohibited,'' and ``Google is subject to OFAC sanctions and export restrictions. Adalytics points out that in reality, many advertisements that violate this policy have been confirmed.

When technology media outlet The Register asked Democratic Sen. Mark Warner about the Adalytics findings, he said, ``For more than eight years, digital advertising intermediaries maintain a concentrated ecosystem where fraud is rampant.'' We have raised serious concerns about the situation with the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice, and our findings clearly show that Google is contributing to the monetization of sanctioned websites. Therefore, this should be the last resort for governments to take action to clean up this market.' Paul Tan, a Dutch member of the European Parliament, also told The Register: ``Google's advertising algorithms require scrutiny.The European Commission will use its audit powers to ensure transparency and accountability regarding confidentiality. We have to demand it.”

In response to the Adalytics survey results, Dan Taylor, Google's vice president of global advertising, said, ``This is just an example of a website displaying a listing ad in a widget that allows Google to use search, and is a sanctioned site. ``cannot earn advertising revenue,'' he said, denying the problem. 'Adalytics has a history of publishing inaccurate reports regarding research into our products that make false and grossly exaggerated claims,' Taylor said in a statement. 'However, based on our analysis of the sites and some of the information already cited, we do not see any advertising revenue being shared with sanctioned entities.'

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