Google Publisher Policies

Google Publisher Policies

(August 12, 2024) Due to ongoing developments in Russia, we are pausing the ability of Russia-based publishers to monetize with AdSense, AdMob, and Ad Manager.

(March 23, 2022) Due to the war in Ukraine, we will pause monetization of content that exploits, dismisses, or condones the war.

(March 10, 2022) Given the recent suspension of Google advertising systems in Russia, we’ll be pausing the creation of new Russian accounts on AdSense, AdMob, and Google Ad Manager. Additionally, we will pause ads on Google properties and networks globally for advertisers based in Russia.

(March 3, 2022) Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, we will be temporarily pausing ads from serving to users located in Russia.

(February 26, 2022) In light of the war in Ukraine, we are pausing Google’s monetization of Russian Federation state-funded media. 

We will continue to actively monitor the situation and make adjustments as necessary.

We are in the process of migrating and consolidating all of the Google Publisher Policies and Google Publisher Restrictions to the new Publisher Policies Help Center. For now, you can still view all the policies in the AdMob, AdSense, and Ad Manager Help Centers, as well as the new Help Center. 

When you monetize your content with Google ad code you are required to adhere to the following policies. Failure to comply with these policies may result in Google blocking ads from appearing against your content, or suspending or terminating your account.

These policies apply in addition to any other policies governing your use of Google publisher products.

Google helps to enable a free and open internet by helping publishers monetize their content and advertisers reach prospective customers with useful, relevant products and services. Maintaining trust in the ads ecosystem requires setting limits on what we will monetize.

Google Publisher Policies are organized into the following categories:

• Content policies
• Behavioral policies
• Privacy-related policies
• Requirements and other standards

Learn more about the commonly used policy terms and what they mean in the glossary. 

Content policies 

Illegal content

We do not allow content that:

• is illegal, promotes illegal activity, or infringes on the legal rights of others.

 Learn more about illegal content

Intellectual property abuse

We do not allow content that:

• infringes copyright. It is our policy to respond to notices of alleged infringement that comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). You can file a counter-notification via this form.
• sells or promotes the sale of counterfeit products. Counterfeit goods contain a trademark or logo that is identical to or substantially indistinguishable from the trademark of another. They mimic the brand features of the product in an attempt to pass themselves off as a genuine product of the brand owner.

Learn more about intellectual property abuse

Dangerous or derogatory content

We do not allow 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 other characteristic that is associated with systemic discrimination or marginalization. Examples: Promoting hate groups or hate group paraphernalia, encouraging others to believe that a person or group is inhuman, inferior, or worthy of being hated
• harasses, intimidates, or bullies an individual or group of individuals. Examples: Singling out someone for abuse or harassment, suggesting a tragic event did not happen or that victims or their families are actors or complicit in a cover-up of the event
• threatens or advocates for physical or mental harm to oneself or others. Examples: 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 organizations, or content that promotes terrorist acts, including recruitment, or that celebrates attacks by transnational drug trafficking or terrorist organizations
• exploits others through extortion. Examples: Exploitative removals, revenge porn, blackmail

Learn more about dangerous and derogatory content

Animal cruelty

We do not allow content that:

• promotes cruelty or gratuitous violence towards animals. Examples: Promoting animal cruelty for entertainment purposes, such as cock or dog fighting
• promotes the sale of products obtained from endangered or threatened species. Examples: Sale of tigers, shark fins, elephant ivory, tiger skins, rhino horn, dolphin oil

Learn more about animal cruelty

Misrepresentative content

Misleading representation

We do not allow content that:

• misrepresents, misstates, or conceals information about the publisher, the content creator, the purpose of the content, or the content itself.
• falsely implies having an affiliation with, or endorsement by, another individual, organization, product, or service. Examples: Impersonating Google products, misusing company logos

 Learn more about misleading representation

Unreliable and harmful claims

We do not allow content that:

• makes claims that are demonstrably false and could significantly undermine participation or trust in an electoral or democratic process. Examples: information about public voting procedures, political candidate eligibility based on age or birthplace, election results, or census participation that contradicts official government records
• promotes harmful health claims, or relates to a current, major health crisis and contradicts authoritative scientific consensus.
  Examples: Anti-vaccine advocacy, denial of the existence of medical conditions such as AIDS or Covid-19, gay conversion therapy
• contradicts authoritative scientific consensus on climate change.

 Learn more about unreliable and harmful claims

Deceptive practices

We do not allow:

• enticing users to engage with content under false or unclear pretenses.
• attempting to steal personal information or trick users into sharing personal information Example: Social engineering like phishing
• promoting content, products, or services using false, dishonest, or deceptive claims. Examples: ”Get Rich Quick” schemes
• coordinating with other sites or accounts and concealing or misrepresenting your identity or other material details about yourself, where your content relates to politics, social issues or matters of public concern.
• directing content about politics, social issues, or matters of public concern to users in a country other than your own, if you misrepresent or conceal your country of origin or other material details about yourself.

 Learn more about deceptive practices

Manipulated media

We do not allow content that:

• deceives users through manipulated media related to politics, social issues, or matters of public concern.

 Learn more about manipulated media 

Enabling dishonest behavior

We do not allow content that:

• helps users to mislead others. Examples: Creating fake or false documents such as passports, diplomas, or accreditation; sale or distribution of term papers, paper-writing or exam-taking services; information or products for passing drug tests
• promotes any form of hacking or cracking and/or provides users with instructions, equipment, or software that tampers with or provides unauthorized access to devices, software, servers, or websites.
  Examples: Pages or products that enable illegal access of cell phones and other communications or content delivery systems or devices; products or services that bypass copyright protection, including circumvention of digital rights management technologies; products that illegally descramble cable or satellite signals in order to get free services; pages that assist or enable users to download streaming videos if prohibited by the content provider
• enables a user, or promotes products and services that enable a user, to track or monitor another person or their activities without their authorization. Examples: Spyware and technology used for intimate partner surveillance including but not limited to spyware/malware that enables a user to monitor another person’s texts, phone calls, or browsing history; GPS trackers specifically marketed to spy or track someone without their consent; promotion of surveillance equipment (e.g. cameras, audio recorders, dash cams, nanny cams) marketed with the express purpose of spying
  This does not include (a) private investigation services or (b) products or services designed for parents to track or monitor their underage children.

 Learn more about enabling dishonest behavior

Sexually explicit content

We do not allow content that:

• includes graphic sexual text, image, audio, video, or games. Examples: Sex acts such as genital, anal, and/or oral sex; masturbation; cartoon porn or hentai; graphic nudity
• contains non-consensual sexual themes, whether simulated or real. Examples: Rape, incest, bestiality, necrophilia, snuff, lolita or teen-themed pornography, underage dating
• promotes the creation or distribution of content that has been altered or generated to be sexually explicit or contain nudity. Examples: site or app that claims to generate deepfake pornography, instructions on how to create deepfake pornography, endorsing or comparing deepfake pornography services

    Learn more about sexually explicit content

Compensated sexual acts

We do not allow content that:

• may be interpreted as promoting a sexual act in exchange for compensation. Examples: Prostitution; companionship and escort services; intimate massage; cuddling sites; compensated dating or sexual arrangements where one participant is expected to provide money, gifts, financial support, mentorship, or other valuable benefits to another participant such as ”Sugar” dating

     Learn more about compensated sexual acts

Mail order brides

We do not allow content that:

• facilitates marriage to a foreigner. Examples: Mail order brides, international marriage brokers, romance tours

      Learn more about mail order brides

Adult themes in family content

We do not allow content that:

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

       Learn more about adult themes in family content

Child sexual abuse and exploitation

We do not allow content that:

• Sexually exploits or abuses children or content that promotes the sexual exploitation or abuse of children. This includes all child sexual abuse materials.
• Endangers children. Including but not limited to:
  • ‘Child grooming’ (for example, befriending a child online to facilitate, either online or offline, sexual contact and/or exchanging sexual imagery with that child);
  • ‘Sextortion’ (for example, threatening or blackmailing a child by using real or alleged access to a child’s intimate images);
  • Sexualization of a minor (for example, content that depicts, encourages or promotes the sexual abuse or exploitation of children); and
  • Trafficking of a child (for example, advertising or solicitation of a child for commercial sexual exploitation).

We will take appropriate action, which may include reporting to the National Center for Missing