Inappropriate content

We value diversity and respect for others, and we strive to avoid offending users, so we don’t allow ads or destinations that display shocking content or promote hatred, intolerance, discrimination or violence.

Below are some examples of what to avoid in your ads. Learn about what happens if you violate our policies.

In this article

• Dangerous or derogatory content
• Sexually explicit content
• Child sexual abuse imagery
• Adult themes in family content
• Shocking content
• Sensitive events
• Animal cruelty
• Hacked political materials

Dangerous or derogatory content

The following is not allowed:

Content that incites hatred against, promotes discrimination of or disparages an individual or group on the basis of their race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, age, nationality, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or any other characteristic that is associated with systemic discrimination or marginalisation

Examples (non-exhaustive): Content promoting hate groups or hate group paraphernalia; content that encourages others to believe that a person or group is inhuman, inferior or worthy of being hated

Content that harasses, intimidates, or bullies an individual or group of individuals

Examples (non-exhaustive): Content that singles out someone for abuse or harassment; content that suggests a tragic event did not happen, or that victims or their families are actors, or complicit in a cover-up of the event; content that shares personally identifiable information that promotes financial fraud, identity theft, harmful direct contact or harassment.

Content that threatens or advocates for physical or mental harm on oneself or others

Examples (non-exhaustive): Content advocating suicide, anorexia or other self-harm; threatening someone with real-life harm or calling for the attack of another person; promoting, glorifying or condoning violence against others; content made by or in support of terrorist groups, or transnational drug trafficking organisations, or content that promotes terrorist acts, including recruitment, or that celebrates attacks by transnational drug trafficking or terrorist organisations.

Content that seeks to exploit others

Examples (non-exhaustive): Extortion, blackmail, soliciting or promoting dowries, exploitative removals

Compensated sexual acts

The following is not allowed:

Child sexual abuse imagery

The following is not allowed:

Content promoting the sexual exploitation of minors

Examples (non-exhaustive): Child sexual abuse imagery or other content

Mail-order brides

The following is not allowed:

Adult themes in family content

The following is not allowed:

Content that is made to appear appropriate for a family audience but contains adult themes, including sex, violence, vulgarity or other depictions of children or popular children’s characters, that are unsuitable for a general audience

Learn how to fix a disapproved ad or asset.

Shocking content

The following is not allowed:

Promotions containing violent language, gruesome or disgusting imagery, or graphic images or accounts of physical trauma

Examples (non-exhaustive): Crime scene or accident photos, execution videos

Promotions containing gratuitous portrayals of bodily fluids or waste

Examples (non-exhaustive): Blood, guts, gore, sexual fluids, human or animal waste

Promotions containing obscene or profane language

Examples (non-exhaustive): Swear or curse words, slurs relating to race or sexuality, variations and misspellings of profane language

Note: If the official name of your product, website or app includes profane language, request a review and provide details of the name. 

Promotions that are likely to shock or scare

Examples (non-exhaustive): Promotions that suggest that you may be in danger, be infected with a disease or be the victim of a conspiracy

Sensitive events

A 'Sensitive Event' is an unforeseen event or development that creates significant risk to Google's ability to provide high quality, relevant information and ground truth, and reduce insensitive or exploitative content in prominent and monetised features. During a Sensitive Event, we may take a variety of actions to address these risks.

Examples of Sensitive Events include events with significant social, cultural or political impact, such as civil emergencies, natural disasters, public health emergencies, terrorism and related activities, conflict or mass acts of violence.

Examples of what we prohibit (non-exhaustive):

• Products or services that exploit, dismiss or condone the Sensitive Event, including price gouging or artificially inflating prices that prohibits/restricts access to vital supplies; sale of products or services which may be insufficient for the demand during a sensitive event
• Using keywords related to a sensitive event to attempt to drive additional traffic
• Claims that victims of a sensitive event were responsible for their own tragedy or similar instances of victim blaming; claims that victims of a sensitive event are not deserving of remedy or support; claims that victims from certain countries were responsible or deserving of a global public health crisis

Animal cruelty

The following is not allowed:

Content that promotes cruelty or gratuitous violence towards animals

Example (non-exhaustive): Promoting animal cruelty for entertainment purposes, such as cock or dog fighting

Content that may be interpreted as trading in, or selling products derived from, threatened or extinct species

Examples (non-exhaustive): Sale of tigers, shark fins, elephant ivory, tiger skins, rhino horn, dolphin oil

Hacked political materials

Ads that directly facilitate or advertise access to hacked material related to political entities within scope of Google's election ads policies. This applies to all protected material that was obtained through the unauthorised intrusion or access of a computer, computer network or personal electronic device, even if distributed by a third party.

Examples (non-exhaustive): Advertising access to hacked content ('See all of the leaked emails right now!', 'The President’s text messages were hacked! Access them now!'); linking to hacked content ('View our database of hacked documents from the President's campaign', 'Foreign agents hacked into his computer, take a look at the real documents').

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