Tag: Ad Regulations

Gemini’s AI Takes Ad Safety to New Heights: Over 99% Bad Ads Blocked
I’ve been following Google’s strides in ad safety, and their recent updates with Gemini have caught my eye. Gemini’s AI-driven enforcement is not only faster but more accurate, eliminating more than 99% of bad ads even before they appear in 2025. This means we’re seeing fewer false suspensions and stricter adherence to ad policies.

Diving into Google’s 2025 Ads Safety Report, I’m amazed at the scale: 8.3 billion ads were blocked or removed globally, and 24.9 million advertiser accounts got suspended last year. It’s impressive to think that over 99% of these policy-violating ads never saw the light of day, thanks to the power of AI.

Google also pointed out how Gemini’s capabilities significantly improved ad safety:
- Gemini slashed incorrect advertiser suspensions by 80%.
- The system processed four times more user reports compared to the previous year.
- It enhanced the detection of scams by better understanding ad intent.
Looking at the numbers, we see a staggering impact:
- 602 million scam-related ads removed
- 4 million scam-linked accounts suspended
- 4.8 billion ads restricted
- 480 million web pages blocked or restricted
- 245,000+ publisher sites actioned
- 35 policy updates made in 2025
In the United States alone, 1.7 billion ads were removed, and 3.3 million advertiser accounts were suspended in 2025. The main reasons included:
1. Abusing the ad network
2. Misrepresentation
3. Sexual content
4. Personalization violations
5. Dating and companionship ads
Why do I care about this? Because stronger AI-driven ad enforcement impacts the way ads run or get flagged. Google claims Gemini enhances precision and reduces unwarranted suspensions, which might prevent unexpected interruptions for genuine brands. However, as AI reviews tighten, we advertisers must ensure complete policy compliance.

Some UK and US advertisers experienced waves of unexplained disapprovals, citing no discernible issues, highlighting the intricacies of automated oversight.

Gemini’s approach to ad enforcement is exciting. By evaluating billions of signals—like account age and user patterns—it’s capable of identifying malicious activity quicker than previous systems. By the end of 2025, most Responsive Search Ads were assessed instantly, blocking harmful material before it could launch. Google aims to apply this capability across more ad formats soon.

Yet, there’s a balance to maintain. Aggressive automation may disrupt campaigns, but Google’s emphasis on nuanced understanding is crucial for reducing incorrect suspensions, which is essential for brands relying on continuous ad visibility.

In conclusion, Google is banking on Gemini to enhance ad safety, aiming to curtail sophisticated scams while assuring advertisers that legitimate activities won’t be hindered by stricter controls.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
April 16, 2026
Enhance Your Ad Strategy: Google Introduces Campaign-Level Appeals
I’ve recently discovered a new tool that could significantly streamline how I manage my ad campaigns. Google has rolled out a feature that adds more precision to policy appeal processes, potentially saving time and reducing the chance of resubmitting outdated ads.

Driving the news. With this update, Google now allows me to select ads from specific campaigns when requesting a re-review. This is part of Google’s effort to simplify ad appeals, reducing the bulk of unnecessary submissions that can bog down the process.

Before this change, I often found myself resubmitting all eligible ads across an account, including those from older campaigns that were not relevant to current policies.

This was not only time-consuming but also cluttered the review process with ads that hadn’t been updated yet.

What’s new. Now, with the “Select eligible campaigns” option available on the Google Ads policy violations page, I can fine-tune my appeals. This means I can send only the ads that have been recently updated, while ignoring outdated campaigns.

Here’s how this benefits me:
- Reduce unnecessary inclusions of old ads,
- Simplify and expedite the appeal process,
- Focus on solving current ad issues effectively.
Why we care. For those of us handling large accounts, being able to fine-tune bulk submissions by campaign makes managing widespread disapprovals or policy issues more efficient. It not only speeds up the process but minimizes confusion when dealing with multiple policy amendments at the same time.

The bottom line. While it might not be a groundbreaking product launch, this update is a workflow enhancement that many advertisers like myself have long been waiting for. It offers greater control and less hassle when addressing disapproved ads.

First spotted. Hana Kobzová at PPC News Feed was the first to notice this valuable update.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
April 15, 2026
Google’s New Rules for Political Shopping Ads: Key Changes to Know

Starting April 16, Google is tightening rules around political content in Shopping ads. If you’re running such ads, you might need to verify your account as an election advertiser. Let me walk you through what’s happening and why it matters to us.

What’s Changing? From mid-April, merchants in nine countries must verify their Google Ads accounts for political Shopping ads. Plus, some political ads will face outright bans in India.

Countries Affected: You’ll need to pay attention if you’re operating in Argentina, Australia, Chile, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, or the United States.

Why Does This Matter? This update shows Google’s commitment to election integrity across different platforms, including commerce. If you’re selling political merchandise or campaign items, it’s crucial to act before the deadline.

What Should You Do?

1. Check Google’s updated policy to see if your ads now fall under these new guidelines.

2. If they do, apply for election advertiser verification via Google Ads before April 16 to keep your ads running smoothly.

The Bottom Line: This change might affect a small group of merchants, but missing the deadline could lead to disapproved ads or flagged accounts. If you’re selling politically themed items in the specified regions, verify your eligibility now to avoid hiccups.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

March 24, 2026
Mastering Google Ads Suspensions: Resolve and Reclaim Your Account
Have you ever experienced the frustration of seeing the ‘Your account has been suspended’ banner on Google Ads? I’ve been there, and I know how overwhelming it can feel. But don’t worry, I’m here to guide you through understanding why suspensions happen and what you can do to get back on track.

Account suspensions, as I discovered, are essential to maintaining a healthy digital advertising ecosystem. Google’s main aim here is to protect users. However, as advertisers, we often find ourselves navigating what feels like a minefield of policies and procedures.

Here’s what I’ve learned about what triggers these suspensions, the types you might face, and crucially, what to do if your account ends up flagged or suspended.

Why do accounts get suspended?

I’ve found that suspensions occur when there’s a violation of Google’s policies. The platform uses a mix of automated systems and manual reviews to detect these issues. From my experience, it often involves a thorough check of our business practices and website content.

In late 2025, Google announced improvements to its systems, which have since reduced incorrect suspensions by over 80%, with most issues now resolved within a day. This encourages me that there’s a fair system in place to ensure accuracy.

How Google Ads suspends accounts and what happens next

Suspensions can happen immediately upon violation detection or, in some cases, we get a seven-day warning. I’ve personally experienced the abruptness this can entail, where advertising activities suddenly come to a halt.
- Ads will not run during a suspension.
- No new content creation like ads, ad groups, or campaigns is possible.
- We can still access account data and reports for review.
If an account I manage is suspended, linked accounts can also get affected. This is something to be mindful of, as I’ve had to navigate clearing up more than just one account at times.

What are the different types of account suspensions?

Understanding the different types of suspensions has been crucial for me. Google groups them mainly into policy violations and egregious violations. Each has distinct causes and implications.

Policy violations

These are common and usually related to Google Ads policy or terms and conditions. I’ve seen issues like inappropriate content or editorial requirement violations come up frequently.

Egregious violations

These are more severe and often tied to unlawful or harmful practices, reflecting overall business conduct rather than specific campaigns. In my experience, these tend to be permanent.
- Circumventing systems, unacceptable practices, or illegal activities often fall here.
What to do if your account is suspended?

Depending on the suspension type, my next steps have usually involved resolving the issue before considering an appeal. Google’s help guides are invaluable, ensuring I’m fully compliant before making my case.

Best practices for submitting an appeal

From my experience, honesty and thoroughness in the appeal process are vital. Whether it’s submitting verification or acknowledging an error, being straightforward helps in getting fair reconsideration.

Remaining patient during the appeal process is crucial, as wait times can be long. In the meantime, I’ve learned not to submit multiple appeals, which could complicate the process unnecessarily.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
March 23, 2026
How Meta’s New Digital Tax Policy Impacts Advertisers
I recently learned that starting July 1st, Meta plans to directly charge us, the advertisers, for Europe’s digital services taxes. This change will add as much as 5% to our ad spend, which is quite a noticeable increase.

The numbers. The fees will align with each nation’s specific digital service tax rates, which means:
- France, Italy, Spain: 3%
- Austria, Turkey: 5%
- UK: 2%
How it works in practice. Meta has informed us that if I run a $100 ad targeting Italy, it’ll cost $103, excluding any VAT. This directly affects my budget considerations.

The fine print. It’s important to note these fees are based on the ad’s target location, not where I, the advertiser, am based. Thus, even if I’m in the U.S., targeting users in France means I’ll adhere to their rate.

Why I care. This upcoming change will undeniably raise costs for my European campaigns starting July 1st. With no option to avoid it, I must prepare for increased CPM and CPA benchmarks, meaning my current budget won’t go as far, and my ROAS targets might need reevaluation.

Because these adjustments are based on delivery location, even non-European companies must take note. The reach of this change is broad.

The big picture for advertisers. Meta’s not alone; both Google and Amazon have similar strategies. It’s a significant shift that demands I, and others involved in European advertising, revisit our cost models to appropriately plan for these increased expenses.

The backdrop. Digital services taxes have long been contentious between Europe and Washington, adding a layer of geopolitical complexity to the already intricate compliance issues faced by global advertisers like myself.

Dig deeper. If you’re interested in more detailed information about how Meta is addressing Europe’s digital taxes, you can find additional insights in this Bloomberg article (subscription required).

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
March 10, 2026
Urgent EU Political Ads Deadline: Google Emails Advertisers
I recently received an email from Google reminding advertisers about a critical deadline. They’re reaching out directly, requiring us to confirm if our campaigns include EU political ads by March 31st.

Why this matters to us. This requirement isn’t optional. The EU regulation mandates Google to verify the political ad status of every active campaign, and missing this deadline could mean compliance issues for us.

Here’s what’s happening. Google needs each advertiser to declare whether their current campaigns involve EU political ads. This request applies across all campaigns, and we must act by March 31, 2026.

How can we comply? Google offers three ways to submit our confirmation:
- Campaign level — In the campaign settings, we can select ‘EU political ads’ to confirm for individual campaigns.
- Multiple campaigns — By visiting the Campaigns tab, we can use the ‘EU political ads’ option to confirm multiple campaigns simultaneously.
- Account level — We can confirm for all existing and new campaigns at once. Opting ‘No’ at the account level applies to every campaign, but we can override this anytime.
Read between the lines. The account-level option seems the most efficient for most of us who know our campaigns don’t involve EU political ads. Google makes it hassle-free to reverse our choice later, so there’s no harm in acting early.

The takeaway. It’s time to check our inboxes because Google is contacting us. If you’re targeting EU audiences, ensure you log in and complete the confirmation before the deadline to remain compliant.

First noticed. This update was first observed by Paid Search expert, Arpan Banerjee, who shared the communication details on LinkedIn.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
March 6, 2026