Google's Big Headache Involves Its Ads, Nazis, ISIS

There's a boycott underway in the UK
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 21, 2017 1:59 AM CDT
Google, YouTube Face Advertiser Boycott
The Google logo at Google offices in Brussels.   (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File)

Major British advertisers wary of being associated with Nazis, Islamic radicals, and homophobic preachers have been pulling their ads from YouTube and Google. The British government joined big banks and other companies in the ad boycott in recent days after their ads appeared next to extremist content, Mashable reports. The ad placement was first highlighted by a Sunday Times report that warned the blacklist system was failing and major advertisers might be unwittingly funding hate groups. The Times' investigation found that ads from big companies were appearing next to content from former KKK leader David Duke, among others, TechCrunch reports.

Google has apologized for the ad placement, which it describes as a "small number of inappropriately monetized videos and content," and promised to start giving advertisers more control over where their ads appear, USA Today reports. Advertising firm WPP says it's working on damage control with Google and other clients. "We have always said Google, Facebook, and others are media companies and have the same responsibilities as any other media company," company founder Martin Sorrell tells Reuters. "They cannot masquerade as technology companies, particularly when they place advertisements." (More YouTube stories.)

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