Inappropriate content

Google values diversity and respect for others and strives to avoid offending users, so ads or destinations that display shocking content or promote hatred, intolerance, discrimination, or violence aren’t allowed.

Below are some examples of content that Google Ads considers inappropriate and may not be included in your Shopping ads and listings, assets, and destinations.

On this page

• Dangerous or derogatory content
• Sexually explicit content
• Child sexual abuse and exploitation
• Shocking content
• Sensitive events
• Animal cruelty
• Hacked political materials
• Options to fix

Dangerous or derogatory content

 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 marginalization is not allowed

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Content promoting hate groups or hate group merchandise
• Content encouraging others to believe that a person or group is inhuman, inferior, or worthy of being hated
• Skin lightening products that imply superiority of social status, beauty, professional and/or relational opportunities of lighter skinned persons

 Content that harasses, intimidates, or bullies an individual or group of individuals is not allowed

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Content singling out someone for abuse or harassment
• Content suggesting that a tragic event did not happen, or that victims or their families are actors, or complicit in a cover-up of the event
• Content sharing 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 is not allowed

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Content advocating for suicide, anorexia, or other self-harm
• Content threatening someone with real-life harm or calling for the attack of another person
• Content promoting, glorifying, or condoning violence against others
• Content made by or in support of terrorist groups, or transnational drug trafficking organizations
• Content promoting terrorist acts, including recruitment, or that celebrates attacks by transnational drug trafficking or terrorist organizations.

 Content that seeks to exploit others is not allowed

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

Sexually explicit content

 Text, image, audio, or video of graphic sexual acts intended to arouse are not allowed

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Hardcore pornography, cartoon porn, or hentai
• Sex acts such as genital, anal, and oral sex, or masturbation

 Content promoting underage, non-consensual, or other illegal sexual themes, whether simulated or real is not allowed

Examples (non-exhaustive): rape, incest, bestiality, necrophilia, lolita or teen-themed pornography, underage dating

 Content promoting the creation or distribution of synthetic content that has been altered or generated to be sexually explicit or contain nudity as described above is not allowed

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Sites or apps that claim to generate deepfake pornography or show instructions on how to create deepfake pornography
• Content endorsing or comparing deepfake pornography services

Child sexual abuse and exploitation

 Content promoting or facilitating child sexual abuse or exploitation, including child sexual abuse material, content that condones or glorifies behaviour which endangers children, and content that otherwise sexualizes minors (anyone under 18) is not allowed

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM)
• Offering, advertising, or soliciting CSAM
• Instructions on how to create CSAM or how to abuse, groom or sexually extort a child
• Content that sexualizes minors, or content that promotes, encourages or glorifies child sexual abuse and exploitation
• Child grooming
• Sextortion
• Trafficking of a child

All content, whether real, fictional, simulated, cartoon, AI-generated, or photoshopped is prohibited, including all content formats including audio, text and visual media such as imagery and videos.

Shocking content

​​ Content containing profane terms or misspellings of profane terms or offensive gestures in book, movie, or registered media titles are allowed

Examples (non-exhaustive): 

• Shopping listings for the book “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” by Mark Manson
• Shopping listings for the book “On Bullshit” by Harry G. Frankfurt

 Content containing violent language, gruesome or disgusting imagery, or graphic images or accounts of physical trauma are not allowed

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

 Content containing gratuitous portrayals of bodily fluids or waste.

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

 Content that are likely to shock or scare

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

 Content containing slurs

Examples (non-exhaustive): slurs relating to race or sexuality

 Content containing obscene or profane language is restricted to users who have activated their SafeSearch filter:

Examples (non-exhaustive): 

• Swear or curse words variations 
• Misspellings of profane languages

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 monetized features. During a Sensitive Event, Google 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 Google prohibits (non-exhaustive):

• Products that exploit, dismiss, or condone the Sensitive Event, including price gouging or artificially inflating prices that prohibit or restrict access to vital supplies, sale of products 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

 Content that promotes cruelty or gratuitous violence towards animals is not allowed

Examples (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 is not allowed

Examples (non-exhaustive): Sale of shark fins or shark cartilage supplements, elephant ivory, tiger skins, rhino horn, dolphin oil, and elkhorn coral, or products containing these ingredients.

Hacked political materials

 Ads or listings that directly facilitate or advertise access to hacked material related to political entities within scope of the Election Ads policy is not allowed. This applies to all protected material obtained through the unauthorized intrusion or access of a computer, computer network, or personal electronic device, even if it’s distributed by a third party.

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Examples of advertising access to hacked content:
  • “See all of the leaked emails right now!”
  • “The President’s text messages were hacked! Access them now!”
• Examples of 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.”

Discussion of or commentary on hacked political materials is allowed if the listing or landing page does not provide or facilitate direct access to those materials.