Sexual content

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Display & Video 360 users must comply with this Google Ads policy. Visit the Display & Video 360 help center for additional restrictions.

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Ads should respect user preferences and comply with legal regulations, so 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 minors, but they will only show in limited scenarios based on user search queries, user age, and local laws where the ad is being served. 

Learn about what happens if you violate our policies.


Strongly restricted categories

Ads that feature or promote the following types of sexual content are strongly restricted. They will only serve based on the following conditions:

  • The user’s age, the local laws where the ad is being served, and the user’s SafeSearch settings.
  • The user’s sexual content Search queries.

Nudity

Restricted People or representations of people that display exposed intimate body parts, including representations that are blurred or censored

Examples: Visible genitalia, female breasts, or buttocks

Sexual encounter dating

Restricted Dating explicitly motivated by sexual encounters

Examples: Hook-up or fling dating, swinger dating sites


Moderately restricted categories

Ads that feature or promote the following types of sexual content categories are moderately restricted. They will only serve based on the following conditions:

  • The user’s age, the local laws where the ad is being served, and the user’s SafeSearch settings.

Partial nudity

Restricted People or representations of people that display partially exposed intimate body parts

Examples: Lower or outer curve of the female breast exposed, majority of buttocks exposed

Sexualized theme dating

Restricted Dating explicitly motivated in terms of sexual themes

Examples: Affair dating, sexual fetish dating

Sexual merchandise

Restricted Sale of merchandise that's intended to enhance sexual activity

Examples: Sex toys, lubricants, aphrodisiacs, sexual enhancers, sexual fetish lingerie

Sexual entertainment

Restricted Online or offline sexually suggestive entertainment

Examples: Strip clubs, adult movie festivals, sexually suggestive live streaming or live chat, sexually suggestive role playing games

Mature cosmetic procedures

Restricted Cosmetic services and plastic surgery focused on intimate body parts

Examples: Female breast augmentation, penis enlargement surgery, vaginal laser rejuvenation, buttock implants, pubic hair grooming

No issues detected and positive check mark icon As a limited exception to the "Country restrictions" table below, Google allows pubic hair grooming ads to serve on the Google Display Network and YouTube in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, Poland, South Korea, United Kingdom, and United States, as long as the ads:

  • Are not promoted in a way that focuses on sexual pleasure or enhancement, or use sexually suggestive elements and themes;
  • Are not promoted in a way that disparages physical attributes or employs body shaming;
  • Do not target or feature minors; and
  • Do not otherwise violate the existing Sexual content policy.

Sexually suggestive elements and themes

Restricted Text, images, audio, or video that can be interpreted as suggesting sexual intent or being sexually evocative. Content containing sexually suggestive poses or postures

Examples: Lewd or sexual language, images featuring legs spread open, touching covered intimate body parts, mimicking sexual positions or movements, dating for general audiences that includes more sexually suggestive imagery


Country restrictions

red x mark Countries where all sexual content will not serve:

Not allowed Countries where strongly restricted content will not serve:
Algeria
Bahrain
Djibouti
Egypt
India
Iran
Iraq
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Libya
Morocco
Oman
Palestine
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Syria
Tunisia
United Arab Emirates
Yemen
China
Germany
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Peru
Philippines
Russia
Singapore
South Korea
Taiwan
Thailand
Ukraine
Vietnam

In addition to the requirements above, your ads must comply with local laws in the regions your campaigns target.

Effect of the policy

If your ad meets the requirements above and is eligible, here are details of how it can run.

Ad platform
red x mark Sexual content ads cannot run:

AdMob
Google Ad Manager
YouTube

Allowed with restrictions Sexual content ads can run:
Google Ads
Ad Network

red x mark Sexual content ads cannot run:

Display Network
Google Ad Manager Network

Allowed with restrictions Sexual content ads can run:

Google Search Network

Ad Formats

red x mark Sexual content ads cannot run, though acceptable ad formats can vary depending on factors such as the platform you're using, the status of your ad, and whether a publisher or partner has opted to show such ads:

App ads and App assets
Consumer ratings annotations
Dynamic display ads
Gmail ads
Image ads
Reservation display ads
Responsive ads
TrueView video ads

Need help?

If you have questions about our policies, contact Google Ads Support

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