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Display & Video 360 users must comply with this Google Ads policy. Visit the Display & Video 360 help centre for additional restrictions.
It’s important that our advertising experience on Google products is useful, informative, and above all, safe for all our users. That’s why we work to ensure that the advertising content shown on Google’s products protects teens, too.
Google’s Ad-serving Protections for Teens policy implements additional safeguards. On Google Accounts of people above the digital age of consent but under 18, we:
- Disable ads personalisation
- Restrict sensitive ad categories
In addition to prohibiting ads from serving based on our existing policies, Google may limit ads in the categories below from serving to teens. The list represents categories filtered on YouTube, Google Display Ads, and Display & Video 360 as of August 2022. We will expand to additional products over time.
Previous protections established in response to child-directed regulations, such as the US Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the Age Appropriate Design Code (AADC) and the Australia Online Safety Act (AU OSA), will continue to apply where relevant.
Restricted categories and prohibited content
These categories are restricted globally on Google Accounts of users above the digital age of consent but under 18.
| Category | Restricted ad content (non-exhaustive) |
|---|---|
| Adult and sexually suggestive content | Sexual and mature content that is intended for adult audiences. |
|
Adult media |
Ads for films, TV shows and console games that are sensitive to show to users under age 18. |
| Alcohol/tobacco/recreational drugs | Products such as alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs that are regulated or illegal to advertise to children. This also includes Prohibited content and Restricted content. In addition, products that are strongly related to alcohol, tobacco or recreational drugs are prohibited (for example, offers for vineyard tours, e-cigarettes or drug paraphernalia). |
| Body modification and weight loss | Ads for body-modification products or services such as cosmetic procedures, weight loss, tanning, piercings and tattoos. |
| Contests and sweepstakes | Contests or sweepstakes promotions, even if free to enter. |
| Dangerous content | Ads for products or services that are dangerous and inappropriate for users under 18 or that generally require adult supervision, such as spray paint, glass-etching substances or graffiti products, fireworks, weapons or weapon accessories, offers related to hunting, etc. |
| Dating and relationships | Ads for dating services, matchmakers, relationship advice or counselling. |
| Gambling and casino games | Ads for online or real-world gambling, lotteries or betting; entertainment hosted at casinos and lodging at casino hotels; and games strongly associated with casinos and betting (even if there isn't real money at stake) or guides on how to succeed at such games. |
| Pharmaceuticals and supplements | Ads for pharmaceuticals or medications, vitamins and nutritional supplements. |
| Shocking content | Violent, gruesome, graphic, obscene, profane and other content that could shock or scare. |
| Speculative financial products | Contracts for difference, rolling spot forex, financial spread betting and synonymous products. |
| Spying and arrest records | Offers for services that imply they will help spy on a partner, or find non-shared personal information about a third party. Also included are services that perform public records searches for arrest records. |
| Virtual worlds and chat rooms intended for adults | Offers for platforms or services intended for adults that primarily exist to allow users to connect and communicate with strangers. |
Google may adjust the types of ad content and formats that are restricted under its Ad-serving Protections for Teens policy as appropriate or required.
What does this mean for advertisers?
We expect all our advertisers to follow local legal requirements when using our products, including any regulations on advertising to users under age 18, as well as all Google Ads policies.
While you may notice an impact on ad campaign reach or performance, there is no action required on your part. We suggest that you work with your legal advisors to determine how to comply with child-related regulations.