Dipo Olowookere
By Dipo Olowookere
A new report has revealed that Google has continued to prioritise the safety of its users over money, blocking some harmful advert materials placed on its platform by advertisers.
In the 2021 Ads Safety Report, Google said in the period under review, it removed over 3.4 billion bad ads as part of efforts to ensure that its users are exposed to safe adverts while surfing the internet.
It was further stated that over 5.6 million advertiser accounts were suspended by Google, while 1.7 billion ads were restricted from serving on publisher pages, with broader site-level enforcement action taken on approximately 63,000 publisher sites.
The report also said the firm introduced new tools and resources to help advertisers and publishers protect their brands and campaigns, including a new feature that allows brands to upload lists that can be automatically updated and maintained by trusted third parties.
“We also released several resources to help publishers moderate user-generated content and made targeted improvements to the publisher approval process to detect better and block bad actors,” a part of the report noted.
Business Post Google reports that Google has remained a platform for internet users, advertisers, and publishers. Different people of all ages approach the platform for knowledge and also to showcase their products and services.
This has forced various governments to take action to limit what their citizens are exposed to, as well as the safety of their personal data. Google understands this and has also taken actions to ensure that its users are very safe when on its platform.
In the report, it was disclosed that in the last five years, search interest in private browsing has increased by +60% in Nigeria, +30% in South Africa, and +110% in Kenya, with the figures increasing in 2022.
In October of last year, the company launched My Ad Center globally, allowing anyone to see and control how their data is used to show them ads on Search, Discover and YouTube. This allows users to choose to see less of the ads they don’t want to see (and if they want, more ads they’re interested in), creating a win-win situation for both users and advertisers. With less waste, more satisfied customers, and more effective campaigns, privacy-safe advertising is a win-win for everyone.
In addition to these efforts, Google also announced the Privacy Sandbox initiative, an initiative developed in partnership with the advertising industry that aims to create a more private internet.
It is designed to reduce tracking across websites and apps while still allowing for free access to online content and services.
The initiative involves building new technology to protect personal information, providing alternative options for publishers and developers, and establishing new internet privacy standards.
The Privacy Sandbox for the Web will phase out the use of third-party cookies and limit covert tracking. It will also provide safer alternatives for publishers to use to protect personal data and continue their digital business.
“At Google, we are committed to making the ad-supported web a safer and more private place for everyone in Africa.
“We believe that by giving people control over their data and investing in privacy-safe advertising, we can secure a future for the ad-supported web that benefits everyone,” the Managing Director for Africa at Google, Mr Nitin Gajria, stated.
