Policies.

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:

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 informationExample: 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 spyingThis 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

    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 & Exploited Children and disabling accounts. If you believe a child is in danger of or has been subject to abuse, exploitation, or trafficking, contact the police immediately. If you have concerns a child is being or was being endangered in connection with our products, you can report the behavior to Google.

        Learn more about child sexual abuse and exploitation

Behavioral policies 

Dishonest declarations

Information provided by publishers to enable their use of or interaction with Google advertising systems:

  • must be materially accurate and complete, without misleading omissions; and
  • cannot be expressed in a deceptive or misleading manner.Examples: The personal information or payment details provided by a publisher are materially incomplete, obscured or inaccurate. Information provided about a publisher’s website (e.g., in the ads.txt file) or app (e.g., in the app-ads.txt file) is inaccurate. Ad requests that contain partial or inaccurate URLs or AppIDs.

               Learn more about dishonest declarations

Ads interfering 

Google-served ads interfering with content or user interactions

We do not allow Google-served ads that:

  • overlay or are adjacent to navigational or other action items and may lead to unintended ad interactions,
  • severely interfere with consumption of content including overlaying the content or pushing the content off the display,
  • are placed on a “dead end” screen where the user is not able to exit the screen without clicking the ad. 

               Learn more about ads interfering

Inventory value

Google-served ads on screens without publisher-content

We do not allow Google-served ads on screens:

  • without publisher-content or with low-value content,
  • that are under construction,
  • that are used for alerts, navigation or other behavioral purposes

Learn more about Google-served ads on screens without publisher-content

Out of context ads

We do not allow Google-served ads:

  • in apps or web pages that run in the background,
  • that appear outside the display,
  • when the user’s attention is expected to be elsewhere and not on the screen hosting the ad.

It must be clear to the user with which publisher-content the ad is associated.

Learn more about out of context ads

Google-served ads on screens with replicated content

We do not allow Google-served ads on screens:

  • with embedded or copied content from others without additional commentary, curation, or otherwise adding value to that content.

You are also required to comply with our Intellectual property abuse policy.

Learn more about Google-served ads on screens with replicated content

More ads or paid promotional material than publisher-content

We do not allow Google-served ads on screens:

  • with more ads or other paid promotional material than publisher-content.

Learn more about More ads or paid promotional material than publisher-content

 Unsupported languages

We do not allow content that:

  • is not primarily in one of the supported languages.

Learn more about unsupported languages

 

Video policies

Policies for video inventory

Monetization of video inventory is a means to bring additional value to video content, benefiting publishers, users, and advertisers. To ensure that video inventory monetized with Google ad code (“Video Inventory“) provides a positive experience for publishers, users, and advertisers, we have set out requirements below on the nature and implementation of Video Inventory.

Accurately describe inventory

  1. Video Inventory must provide declarations with accurate signals (for Ad Manager, see VAST ad tag URL parameters), including:
    • Audibility of ad placement: Audible by default or muted (for Ad Manager, see vpmute parameter).
    • Type of ad placement: Video ads serving into video players with video content must be accurately declared as either “In-stream” or “Accompanying Content” placements (for Ad Manager, see plcmt parameter). Video ads serving into non-video player placements do not require declarations, and will be automatically determined by Google based on inventory format as either “Interstitial” or “Standalone” placements.
      • “In-stream” means a video or audio ad played within the stream of video or audio content, where the video or audio content is the focus of the user’s visit or explicitly requested by the user.Example: A video ad that is played before, in the middle of, or after the stream of a user-requested video content.
      • “Accompanying Content” means a video ad played within the stream of video content accompanying the main content of the user’s visit, where the video content is neither the focus of the user’s visit nor explicitly requested by the user. Accompanying Content placements must load within the body of the page, and muted by default.Example: A video ad that is played before, in the middle of, or after the stream of muted video content that takes up a small portion of a primarily editorial page.
      • “Interstitial” means a video ad played without the presence of any other streaming video content in a transition between content, where the video ad is the primary focus of the page and takes up the majority of the viewport.Example: A video ad that is independent of any other streaming video content, and that is placed in full view in a natural break or transition between content.
      • “Standalone” means a video ad played without the presence of any other streaming video content, where the video ad is not the focus of the page.Example: A video ad that is independent of any other streaming video content, and that is placed in a banner at the right rail of an article page.

Note: For Ad Manager, the terms “instream” or “in-stream” in Help Center pages and in-product controls refer to both “In-stream” and “Accompanying Content” as defined in these policies. Ad Manager Video Inventory that is “In-stream” or “Accompanying Content” per these policies must adhere to the respective requirements in these policies.

Use supported implementations

  1. In-stream or Accompanying Content placements must use the Google Interactive Media Ads SDK or Google Programmatic Access Library on supported platforms, unless through an official Google Beta program.
    • Partners and publishers cannot use Interactive Media Ads products to monetize YouTube content. For YouTube content, partners and publishers must monetize through the YouTube Partner Program.
  2. Interstitial or Standalone placements must use Google-provided solutions: on web: Google Publisher Tags; in app: the Google Mobile Ads SDK (for Ad Manager; for AdMob).
    • The Google Interactive Media Ads SDK is not allowed for Interstitial or Standalone placements, except for placements in games.

Protect advertiser value

  1. Video Inventory content or controls (for example, play, pause, mute, skip, or dismiss), including ad content or controls where provided, must not be obstructed, hidden, or non-functional.
  2. For In-stream placements, audio ads must not be requested or served in muted placements.

Respect the user

  1. Video Inventory may autoplay, provided that:
    • Only one Video Inventory across all placement types may autoplay with sound at any time.
      • Additionally for In-stream or Accompanying Content placements, only one video player may autoplay in view at any time.
    • The ad must not autoplay until at least 50% of the ad unit is visible.
  2. Video Inventory may be sticky, provided that:
    • A dismiss option is presented for the entire duration of the video or ad content. This option must not be hidden, obstructed, or non-functional.
    • For In-stream or Accompanying Content placements, the video player must start in the main content and only transition to a sticky placement as a user scrolls the video player off the page.

Note: Our policies define the type of content that creators and publishers may monetize with Google ad code. The above requirements do not guarantee to advertisers the quality of the placements they purchase.

            Learn more about policies for video inventory

Privacy-related policies

Privacy disclosures

Publishers must:

  • have and abide by a privacy policy that clearly discloses any data collection, sharing and usage that takes place on any site, app, email publication or other property as a consequence of your use of Google products. The privacy policy must disclose to users that third parties may be placing and reading cookies on your users’ browsers, or using web beacons to collect information as a result of ad serving on your website.To comply with this disclosure obligation with respect to Google’s use of data, you have the option to display a prominent link to How Google uses data when you use our partners’ sites or apps.

           Learn more about privacy disclosures

Cookies on Google domains

Publishers must:

  • not set a cookie on Google’s domains or modify, intercept or delete cookies set on Google’s domains.

           Learn more about cookies on Google domains

Identifying users

Publishers must:

  • not use device fingerprints or locally shared objects (e.g., Flash cookies, Browser Helper Objects, HTML5 local storage) other than HTTP cookies, or user-resettable mobile device identifiers designed for use in advertising. This does not limit the use of IP address for the detection of fraud.
  • not pass any information to Google data that Google could use or recognize as personally identifiable information; or that permanently identifies a particular device (such as a mobile phone’s unique device identifier if such an identifier cannot be reset).
  • not use our services to identify users or facilitate the merging of personally identifiable information with information previously collected as non-personally identifiable information without robust notice of, and the user’s prior affirmative (i.e., opt-in) consent to, that identification or merger. Irrespective of users’ consent, you must not attempt to disaggregate data that Google reports in aggregate.For more information, please refer to Guidance for complying with the Identifying Users Policy.
  • comply with the EU user consent policy.

           Learn more about identifying users

Use of device and location data

If publishers collect, process, or disclose information that identifies or can be used to infer an end user’s precise geographic location, such as sourced from GPS, wifi or cell tower data then,

Publishers must:

  • disclose to the user, via an interstitial or just-in-time notice, the purposes for which their data may be used (including, ad personalization, analytics, and attribution, as applicable), including that the data may be shared with partners;
  • obtain express (i.e., opt-in) consent from end users before collecting, processing, or disclosing such information;
  • send such information to Google in an encrypted state or via an encrypted channel; and
  • disclose such information collection, processing, or disclosure in all applicable privacy policies.

            Learn more about use of device and location data

Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)

If you implement any Google advertising service on an app, a site or section of a site that is covered by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), you must:

  • notify Google of those sites or sections of sites covered by COPPA using the Google Search Console, tag the ad request using the AdMob SDK , or tag your site, app, or ad request for child-directed treatment;
  • not use interest-based advertising (including remarketing) to target:
    • past or current activity by users known by you to be under the age of 13 years or
    • past or current activity on sites directed at users under the age of 13 years.

               Learn more about Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)

Requirements and other standards

Spam policies for Google web search

You must not:

               Learn more about the Spam policies for Google web search

Abusive experiences 

You must not:

               Learn more about abusive experiences

Malware or unwanted software

You must not:

  • place Google-served ads on screens that contain malicious software or “malware” that may harm or gain unauthorized access to a computer, device, or network.Examples: Computer viruses, ransomware, worms, trojan horses, rootkits, keyloggers, dialers, spyware, rogue security software, and other malicious programs or apps
  • place Google-served ads on screens that violate Google’s Unwanted Software policy.Examples: Failure to be transparent about the functionality that the software provides or the full implications of installing the software; failing to include Terms of Service or an End User License Agreement; bundling software or applications without the user’s knowledge; making system changes without the user’s consent; making it difficult for users to disable or uninstall the software; failing to properly use publicly available Google APIs when interacting with Google services or products

   Learn more about malware or unwanted software

Better Ads Standards 

You must not:

               Learn more about Better Ads Standards

Authorized inventory

You must not:

  • place Google-served ads on a domain that uses ads.txt where you are not included as an authorized seller of the inventory in the ads.txt file. 

For syndication partners, Parents must ensure Children promptly add an ads.txt file to Child domains with Parents as authorized sellers of Child Inventory.

               Learn more about authorized inventory

Sanctions compliance

Google must comply with sanctions and export controls maintained by the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), United States Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry & Security and other applicable  sanctions. As a result, Google publisher products are not available to publishers in the following countries or territories:

  • Crimea
  • Cuba
  • So-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR) 
  • Iran
  • North Korea
  • Syria

Google publisher products also may not be used for or on behalf of a party located in the above listed sanctioned countries or regions. 

In addition, Google publisher products are not eligible for any entities or individuals that are restricted under applicable trade sanctions and export compliance laws. Google publisher products are not eligible for entities or individuals owned or controlled by or acting for or on behalf of such restricted entities or individuals. 

Publishers must also comply with applicable sanctions and export regulations, which includes OFAC sanctions, and agree to not cause Google to violate these regulations. You cannot use Google publisher products for or on behalf of restricted entities or individuals. You cannot use Google publisher products for or on behalf of entities or individuals located in sanctioned countries or regions.

               Learn more about sanctions compliance

Next: Google Publisher Restrictions