Google Ads policies

Welcome to the Google Advertising Policies Center

We strive to support a healthy digital advertising ecosystem that's trustworthy and transparent for usersadvertisersand publishers. The purpose of this help center is to help you build Google Ads campaigns that align with our advertising policies listed below.

These policies are designed to ensure a safe and positive experience for our users and abide by applicable laws. This means that our policies prohibit content that is harmful to users and the overall advertising ecosystem.

Our advertising policies cover 4 broad areas:

	Prohibited content: Content you can't advertise on the Google Network
	Prohibited practices: Things you can't do if you want to advertise with us
	Restricted content and features: Content you can advertisebut with limitations
	Editorial and technical: Quality standards for your adswebsitesand apps

To learn more about which policies are included in these broad categoriesclick the links for the category names to review the content below. For additional details about each policyclick the header of the section to learn more.

We use a combination of Google AI and human evaluation to ensure that ads comply with these policies. Our enforcement technologies use Google AImodeled on human reviewers’ decisionsto help protect our users and keep our ad platforms safe. More complexnuanced or severe cases are often reviewed and evaluated by our specially-trained experts.

We take action on content that violates our policies. This may include disapproving violating ads so they don’t serveas well as suspending accounts for repeat or egregious violations. We take repeat violations of our policies seriously and continue to expand a strike system for repeat offenders.

We will provide you with information on our decision for any policy violation enforcement actions we take. If one of your ads is disapprovedyou can fix that ad or appeal the decision. You can also appeal an account suspension decision. For these links to workyou’ll need to be signed into your Google Ads account.

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Prohibited content

Counterfeit goods

Google Ads prohibits the sale or promotion for sale of counterfeit goods. 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. This policy applies to the content of your ad and your website or app. 

Dangerous products or services

We want to help keep people safe both online and offlineso we don't allow the promotion of some products or services that cause damageharmor injury.

Examples of dangerous content (non-exhaustive): Recreational drugs (chemical or herbal); psychoactive substances; equipment to facilitate drug use; weaponsammunitionexplosive materials and fireworks; instructions for making explosives or other harmful products; tobacco products

Enabling dishonest behavior

Google Ads values honesty and fairness and doesn’t allow the promotion of products or services that are designed to enable dishonest behavior. Below are some examples of what to avoid in your ads. Learn more about What happens if you violate our policies.

Examples of products or services that enable dishonest behavior (non-exhaustive): Hacking software or instructions; services designed to artificially inflate ad or website traffic; fake documents; academic cheating services

Inappropriate content

Google Ads values diversity and respect for others and strives to avoid offending usersso ads or destinations that display shocking content or promote hatredintolerancediscriminationor violence aren’t allowed.

Examples of inappropriate or offensive content (non-exhaustive): bullying or intimidation of an individual or groupracial discriminationcontent promoting hate groups or hate group paraphernaliagraphic crime scene or accident imagescruelty to animalsmurderself-harmextortion or blackmailsale or trade of endangered speciesads using profane languageand content promoting the sexual exploitation of minors

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Prohibited practices

Abusing the ad network

Ads across the Google Network should be usefulvariedrelevantand safe for users. Google Ads doesn't allow advertisers to attempt to trick or circumvent our ad review processes with their adscontentor destinations.

Learn more about the Abusing the ad network policy.

Examples of abusing of the ad network (non-exhaustive): promoting content that contains malware; "cloaking" or using other techniques to hide the true destination that users are directed to; "arbitrage" or promoting destinations for the sole or primary purpose of showing ads; promoting "bridge" or "gateway" destinations that are solely designed to send users elsewhere; advertising with the sole or primary intent of gaining public social network endorsements from the user; "gaming" or manipulating settings in an attempt to circumvent our policy review systems

Data collection and use

We want users to trust that information about them will be respected and handled with appropriate care. As suchour advertising partners should not misuse this informationnor collect it for unclear purposes or without appropriate disclosures or security measures.

Note that additional policies apply when using personalized advertisingwhich includes remarketing and custom audiences. If you use personalized advertising targeting featuresbe sure to review the personalized ads data collection and use policies.

Examples of user information that should be handled with care (non-exhaustive): full name; email address; mailing address; phone number; national identitypensionsocial securitytax IDhealth careor driver's license number; birth date or mother's maiden name in addition to any of the above information; financial status; political affiliation; sexual orientation; race or ethnicity; religion

Examples of irresponsible data collection & use (non-exhaustive): obtaining credit card information over a non-secure serverpromotions that claim to know a user's sexual orientation or financial statusviolations of our policies that apply to interest-based advertising and remarketing

Misrepresentation

Ads or destinations that deceive users by excluding relevant product information or providing misleading information about productsservicesand businesses can compromise user trust in the Google Ads platform. The Misrepresentation policy strives to ensure that ads are clearhonestand provide information that users need to make informed decisions.

Below are some examples of what to avoid in your ads. If your ads or website violate these policiesyou can learn more about What happens if you violate our policies.

Examples of misrepresentation (non-exhaustive): omitting or obscuring billing details such as howwhatand when users will be charged; omitting or obscuring charges associated with financial services such as interest ratesfeesand penalties; failing to display tax or licence numberscontact informationor physical address where relevant; making offers that aren't actually available; making misleading or unrealistic claims regarding weight loss or financial gain; collecting donations under false pretenses; "phishing" or falsely purporting to be a reputable company in order to get users to part with valuable personal or financial information

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Restricted content and features

The policies below cover content that is sometimes legally or culturally sensitive. Online advertising can be a powerful way to reach customersbut in sensitive areaswe also work hard to avoid showing these ads when and where they might be inappropriate.

For that reasonwe allow the promotion of the content belowbut on a limited basis. These promotions may not show to every user in every locationand advertisers may need to meet additional requirements before their ads are eligible to run. Note that not all ad productsfeaturesor networks are able to support this restricted content. Further details can be found in the Policy Manager.

Ad protections for children and teens

Our child and teen ads policiesalong with other Google Ads policies (including but not limited to those for alcoholgamblingand high fatsugarand salt food and beverages)work together to provide strong protections that include:

• Disabling ads personalization
• Restricting sensitive ad content and categories

We require all our advertisers to follow local legal requirements when using our productsincluding any regulations on advertising to users under age 18as well as all Google Ads policies. Learn more about our Ad protections for children and teens and relevant ad policieswhere they applyand what they mean for advertisers.

Sexual content

Ads should respect user preferences and comply with legal regulationsso we don't allow certain kinds of sexual content in ads and destinations.  Some kinds of sexual content in ads and destinations are allowed only if they comply with the policies below and don't target minorsbut they will only show in limited scenarios based on user search queriesuser ageand local laws where the ad is being served. 

Learn about what happens if you violate our policies.

Examples of restricted sexual content (non-exhaustive): Visible genitalia and female breastshook-up datingsex toysstrip clubssexually suggestive live chatmodels in sexualized poses

Alcohol

We abide by local alcohol laws and industry standardsso we don’t allow certain kinds of alcohol-related advertisingboth for alcohol and drinks that resemble alcohol. Some types of alcohol-related ads are allowed if they meet the policies belowdon’t target minorsand target only countries that are explicitly allowed to show alcohol ads.

Examples of restricted alcoholic beverages (non-exhaustive): beerwinesakespirits or hard alcoholChampagnefortified winenon-alcoholic beernon-alcoholic winenon-alcoholic distilled spirits

Copyrights

We abide by local copyright laws and protect the rights of copyright holdersso we don’t allow ads that are unauthorized to use copyrighted content. If you are legally authorized to use copyrighted contentapply for certification (or here for DV360) to advertise. If you see unauthorized contentsubmit a copyright-related complaint.

Examples of restricted copyrighted content (non-exhaustive): sites or apps that facilitate unauthorized offline distribution of copyrighted content; unauthorized sites or software that capturecopyor provide access to copyrighted content

Gambling and games

We support responsible gambling advertising and abide by local gambling laws and industry standardsso we don’t allow certain kinds of gambling-related advertising. Gambling-related ads are allowed if they comply with the policies below and the advertiser has received the proper Google Ads certification. Gambling ads must target approved countrieshave a landing page that displays information about responsible gamblingand never target minors. Check local regulations for the areas you want to target.

Examples of restricted gambling-related content (non-exhaustive): physical casinos; sites where users can bet on pokerbingorouletteor sports events; national or private lotteries; sports odds aggregator sites; sites offering bonus codes or promotional offers for gambling sites; online educational materials for casino-based games; sites offering "poker-for-fun" games; non-casino-based cash game sites

Healthcare and medicines

We're dedicated to following advertising regulations for healthcare and medicineso we expect that ads and destinations follow appropriate laws and industry standards. Some healthcare-related content can’t be advertised at allwhile others can only be advertised if the advertiser is certified with Google and targets only approved locations. Check local regulations for the locations you want to target.

For most healthcare policiesif your ad campaign targets allowed locations and the domain is properly certifiedyour ad will be labeled “Eligible (limited)” and can run in allowed locations.

Examples of restricted healthcare content (non-exhaustive): clinical trial recruitment; HIV home tests;  addiction services; prescription drug services

Political content

We support responsible political advertising and expect all political ads and destinations to comply with local campaign and election laws for any areas they target. This policy includes legally mandated election “silence periods.”  

Examples of political content (non-exhaustive): promotion of political parties or candidatespolitical issue advocacy

Financial products and services

We want users to have adequate information to make informed financial decisions. Our policies are designed to give users information to weigh the costs associated with financial products and servicesand to protect users from harmful or deceitful practices. For the purposes of this policywe consider financial products and services to be those related to the management or investment of money and cryptocurrenciesincluding personalized advice.

When promoting financial products and servicesyou must comply with state and local regulations for any location that your ads target — for exampleinclude specific disclosures required by local law. Advertisers are expected to do their own research on the local regulations for any location their ads target.

Below you can find policy requirements related to financial servicespersonal loansand certain restricted financial products. As the online advertising and regulatory space continues to evolvewe'll update this policy with additional product-specific guidelines on an ongoing basis. Learn about what happens if you violate our policies.

Examples of restricted Financial products and services (non-exhaustive): personal loansloan modificationcredit repair services

Cryptocurrencies and related products

Due to the complex and evolving nature of regulations related to cryptocurrencies and related products and serviceswe allow certain categories of cryptocurrency-related products and services to be advertised with and without certification by Google in limited circumstances.

While most advertisers must be certified by Googlethere may be limited circumstances where certification is not required.

Examples of cryptocurrency businesses that may not require certification (non-exhaustive): businesses accepting payment in cryptocurrencycryptocurrency mining hardwareNFT games that allow players to purchase in-game itemslike virtual apparel for a player’s charactersconsumed or used in a game to enhance a user’s experience or aid users in advancing the game.

Examples of cryptocurrency businesses that require certification (non-exhaustive): cryptocurrency exchangescryptocurrency walletscryptocurrency coin trusts

When promoting cryptocurrencies and related productsyou must comply with state and local regulations for any region or country that your ads target. Refer to our non-exhaustive list of location-specific requirements for more information but note that advertisers are expected to do their own research on the local regulations for any location their ads target.

Trademarks

There are multiple factors that determine when trademarks can be used in ads. Along with the factors described in our Policy Centerthese policies apply only when a trademark owner has submitted a valid complaint to Google.

Legal requirements

You’re always responsible for ensuring that you comply with all applicable laws and regulationsin addition to Google's advertising policiesfor all of the locations where your ads are showing.

Other restricted businesses

We restrict certain businesses from advertising to prevent user exploitationeven if they comply with other policies. Continuous reviews and feedback from usersregulatorsand consumer protection authorities help us identify products or services that are prone to abuse. We may limit or stop ads from businesses that pose an unreasonable risk to user safety or experience.

Restricted ad formats and features

There are multiple factors that determine access to advanced ad formats and features on Google Ads. Certain ad formats are not available for all advertisers until they meet our specific requirements or complete the certification process.

Limited ad serving

To protect the integrity of our Google Ads ecosystemwe limit impressions of ads that have a higher potential of causing abuse or a poor experience for our users. In these specific instancesonly qualified advertisers will be able to serve ads without impression limits. Learn more about when limited ad serving applies and who is a qualified advertiser.

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Editorial and technical requirements

We want to deliver ads that are engaging for users without being annoying or difficult to interact withso we've developed editorial requirements to help keep your ads appealing to users. We've also specified technical requirements to help users and advertisers get the most out of the variety of ad formats we offer.

Editorial

In order to provide a quality user experienceGoogle requires that all adsassetsand destinations meet high professional and editorial standards. We only allow ads that are clearprofessional in appearanceand that lead users to content that is relevantusefuland easy to interact with.

Examples of promotions that don't meet these editorial and professional requirements (non-exhaustive): overly generic ads that contain vague phrases such as "Buy products here"; gimmicky use of wordsnumbersletterspunctuationor symbols such as FREEf-r-e-eand F₹€€!!

Destination requirements

We want consumers to have a good experience when they click on an adso ad destinations must offer unique value to users and be functionalusefuland easy to navigate.

Examples of promotions that don't meet destination requirements (non-exhaustive): Display URLs that don’t accurately reflect the URL of the landing pagesites or apps that are under construction; sites that aren’t viewable in commonly used browsers; sites that have disabled the browser’s back button

Technical requirements

In order to provide an engaging user experienceGoogle requires that all adsassetsand destinations meet certain technical requirements to make sure your ads are useful and appealing. Ads must be clearfunctionaland lead users to content that is relevant and easy to interact with.

Examples of promotions that don't meet technical requirements (non-exhaustive): exceeding account limits for ads and other content; ads or destination content in an unsupported targeting language; HTML5 ads that don’t function properly or appear blank

Ad format requirements

In order to help you provide a quality user experience and deliver attractiveprofessional-looking adswe only allow ads that comply with specific requirements for each ad format. Review the requirements for all ad formats that you're using.

We don't allow Non-family safe ads in image adsvideo adsand other non-text ad formats. Learn more about our Sexual content policy.

Advertisers participating in beta programs of new ad formats should reach out to their Google Ads representatives or Google Ads customer support to learn about format-specific policy requirements.

Examples of ad format requirements (non-exhaustive): character limits for the ad headline or bodyimage size requirementsfile size limitsvideo length limitsaspect ratios

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About our policies

Google Ads enables businesses of all sizesfrom around the worldto promote a wide variety of productsservicesapplicationsand websites on Google and across our network. We want to help you reach existing and potential customers and audiences. Howeverto help create a safe and positive experience for userswe listen to their feedback and concerns about the types of ads they see. We also regularly review changes in online trends and practicesindustry normsand regulations. And finallyin crafting our policieswe also think about our values and culture as a companyas well as operationaltechnicaland business considerations. As a resultwe have created a set of policies that apply to all promotions on the Google Network.

Google requires that advertisers comply with all applicable laws and regulations and the Google policies described above. It's important that you familiarize yourself with and keep up to date on these requirements for the places where your business operatesas well as any other places your ads are showing. When we find content that violates these requirementswe may block it from appearingand in cases of repeated or egregious violationswe may stop you from advertising with us.

Advertisers have a responsibility not to promote content or engage in behavior that risks harm to our usersemployeesor the Ads ecosystem. If we see such content or behaviorwe may take actionincluding but not limited to restricting or blocking your ads or suspending your account.