Google provides translated versions of our Help Centre, though they are not meant to change the content of our policies. The English version is the official language that we use to enforce our policies. To view this article in a different language, use the language drop-down at the bottom of the page.
As noted in our advertising Terms and Conditions, Google reserves the right to refuse ads or suspend ad accounts when necessary. We take legal requirements and user safety very seriously, so advertiser actions that put our users, Google or our partners at risk can lead to suspension of both Display & Video 360 advertiser and partner accounts. This is essential for us to maintain a healthy and sustainable digital advertising ecosystem with user protection at its core.
We use a combination of automated and human evaluation to detect and remove ads which violate our policies and are harmful to users and the overall Google Ads ecosystem. Our enforcement technologies may use algorithms and machine learning, modelled on human reviewers’ decisions, to help protect our users and keep our ad platforms safe. The policy-violating content is either removed by our automated models or, where a more nuanced determination is required, it is flagged for further review by trained operators and analysts who conduct content evaluations that might be difficult for algorithms to perform alone, for example because an understanding of the context of the ad is required. The results of these manual reviews are then used to help build training data to further improve our machine learning models.
Why we suspend accounts
Platforms Programme policies, Google Ads policies and Terms & Conditions help create a safe and positive experience for users, advertisers and publishers. Display & Video 360 advertiser and partner accounts may be suspended if we find violations of our policies or the Terms & Conditions.
If we detect an advertiser has performed an egregious policy violation (defined below) the advertiser account will be suspended immediately and without prior warning. Suspension is in place until an appeal is successfully approved. Additional advertiser suspensions may be carried out due to matching known heuristics and human investigation.
What is an egregious violation?
An egregious violation of the policies is a violation so serious that it is unlawful or poses significant harm to our users or our digital advertising ecosystem. Egregious violations often reflect that the advertiser's overall business does not adhere to the Display & Video 360 policies or that one violation is so severe that we cannot risk future exposure to our users. Given that egregious violations will result in immediate advertiser suspension, we limit these to cases when such action is the only effective method to adequately prevent illegal activity and/or significant user harm.
Which policies are considered to be egregious?
- Circumventing systems
- Coordinated deceptive practices
- Counterfeit
- Malicious software
- Promotion of unauthorised pharmacies
- Unacceptable business practices
- Trade Sanctions violation
- Sexually explicit content
How does Display & Video 360 detect policy violations?
We use both automated and human evaluation to detect violations of Google policies. We review information from a variety of sources, including your ads, accounts and content, user complaints, consumer reviews, regulatory warnings and rulings.
What happens if an egregious violation is detected?
If we detect an egregious violation, we will suspend the Display & Video 360 advertiser immediately and without prior warning. The advertiser will not be allowed to advertise with us again unless an appeal is successfully approved.
How will an account be notified of a suspension?
Advertisers whose accounts are suspended will receive an in-account notification that will identify all policies the advertiser has been suspended for violating.
Can an account suspension be appealed?
Yes. If you believe there’s been an error and that you haven’t violated our policies, please submit an appeal. Appeals can be submitted by both partners and advertisers. Once your appeal is reviewed, you will receive an email with the outcome. If your appeal is rejected, you can re-appeal by submitting another form. We only reinstate accounts in compelling circumstances, such as in the case of a mistake, so it's important that you take the time to be thorough, accurate and honest.
Can an advertiser access their suspended accounts?
Suspended accounts cannot run any ads. Advertisers can, however, still access their suspended accounts and any associated reports.
Can a partner account be suspended for egregious policy violations?
Yes, we will suspend an entire partner account if advertisers within the partner have repeatedly or predominantly engaged in egregious policy violations. If the entire partner account has been suspended, the partner will receive an in-account notification as well and can also submit an appeal.