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Display & Video 360 users must comply with this Google Ads policy. Visit the Display & Video 360 help centre for additional restrictions.
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Policies for advertisers
Advertisers must comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
Advertisers may not run personalised ads, make use of any third-party trackers or otherwise attempt to collect personal information from minors or on content set as Made for Kids.
Advertising that is intended for children or is on content set as Made for Kids must not be deceptive, unfair or inappropriate for its intended audience. This includes:
Incitement to purchase: Paid ads must not incite children to purchase a product or urge parents or others to buy the item.
Misleading and deceptive claims
- Paid ads must not be misleading to children or make any deceptive or unsubstantiated claims. All claims and assertions need to be substantiated within the video itself.
- Paid ads must not imply that the product will improve your social status.
- Paid ads must not include features or calls to action that do not work or where the desired action can’t be completed.
Restricted categories and prohibited content
The following ad categories and content are restricted for advertising on made for kids content:
Adult and Sexually Suggestive Content: Sexual and mature content that is intended for adult audiences and not suitable for users under the age of 13.
Age-Sensitive Media Content: Media that is sensitive to show to users under the age of 13. This includes movies and TV shows with ratings greater than G and PG. This also includes offers promoting fictional material, including books or comics, that fall in the Romance genre.
Alcohol / Tobacco / Recreational Drugs: Products such as alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs that are regulated or illegal to advertise to children. This also includes Prohibited Content and Restricted Content. In addition, products that are strongly related to alcohol, tobacco or recreational drugs are also prohibited (for example, offers for vineyard tours, e-cigarettes or drug paraphernalia).
Astrology/Occult/Paranormal: Advertisements for content relating to astrology, the occult or the paranormal.
Beauty and Cosmetics: Cosmetics and other products related to external personal care focused on body image. Also included are advertisements related to cosmetic procedures or surgeries, tanning, tattoos or piercings.
Contests and Sweepstakes: Contests or sweepstakes promotions, even if free to enter.
Dangerous Content: Content that is dangerous and inappropriate for users under the age of 13 or that generally requires adult supervision, such as fireworks, weapons or weapon accessories, offers related to hunting, paintball, etcetera.
Dating and Relationships: Ads for dating services, matchmakers, relationship advice or counselling.
Fight Sports: Offers related to boxing, wrestling, martial arts and self-defence training.
Food and Beverage: Products related to consumable food and drinks, regardless of nutrition content.
Gambling: Advertisements for online or real world gambling, lotteries or betting. This includes offers for entertainment hosted at casinos and lodging at casino hotels.
Health and Wellness: Offers related to health care and medical issues of all kinds, including reproductive health, substance abuse or recovery, eating disorders, ‘miracle cures’ and health insurance. Also included are ads related to weight-loss, diet and nutrition.
Mobile Subscriptions: Offers which are billed via recurring mobile phone add-on charges (e.g. ringtone subscription services).
Online or Virtual Communities: Offers for platforms or services that primarily exist to allow users to connect and communicate with other users. This includes, but is not limited to, social and professional networks of friends and colleagues, communication with strangers, virtual worlds and platforms for users to broadcast live streams.
Pharmaceuticals and Supplements: Advertisements for pharmaceuticals or medications, vitamins and nutritional supplements.
Political Ads: Political ads of any kind, including information about political candidates, political action committees or their policy positions. Also included are offers related to sensitive or controversial societal issues.
References to Death: Offers which touch on death, murder, funerals and natural disasters.
Religion: Religious ads of any kind.
Spray Paint and Glass Etching: Offers selling or providing information on spray paint, aerosol paint, glass-etching substances or graffiti products.
Spying and Arrest Records: Offers for services that imply they will help spy on a partner, or find non-shared personal information about a third party. Also included are services that perform public records searches for arrest records (e.g. sex offender look-up).
Video Games: Ads for video games are prohibited if the industry rating of the game would not be suitable for audiences 12 years or under, or if they fall under any of the categories below:
- Casino Games:
- Games strongly associated with casinos and betting (even if there isn't actual money at stake) or guides on how to succeed at such games
- Adult-themed Games:
- Games featuring sexual elements or other adult content
- Promotions for games which feature characters kissing or otherwise engaged in romantic pursuit
- First-person Shooter and Battle Games:
- Games where user has a first-person perspective and shoots at other characters
- Games that involve controlling armies or fighters in battles or in combat
- Offers for video game weaponry or character skins
Prohibited Ad Content
Violent and Graphic Content: Violent and graphic content that is intended for adult audiences and not suitable for users under the age of 13 is prohibited.
Scary Imagery: Ads that involve imagery which may be scary for younger audiences are prohibited, for example zombies, skeletons, masks, scary clowns, blood.
Crude Humour: Ads employing crude or vulgar humour or unsettling imagery in the promotion of a product are prohibited.
Profanity and Sexual Innuendo: Ads which incorporate 'swear' words, or which use sexual innuendo are prohibited.
Significant Skin Exposure: Ads featuring men or women with significantly exposed skin or sheer clothing (whether or not the imagery has sexual connotations) are prohibited.
Incitement to Purchase: Promotions or content that incites children to purchase a product or service or to urge parents or others to buy the item.
Misleading and Deceptive Claims:
- Paid ads cannot be misleading to children or make any deceptive or unsubstantiated claims. All claims and assertions need to be substantiated within the video itself.
- Paid ads cannot imply that the product will improve your social status.
- Paid Ads cannot include features or calls to action that do not work or where the desired action can’t be completed.