Google Disabled 780m Bad Ads in 2015

Google HQGoogle disabled more than 780m ads in 2015 for violating its ad policies. Thats up by nearly half compared to 2014, when it blocked 524m, itself a big jump from 2013s figure of 350m.

The most common problem areas were counterfeiters, weight loss scams, unwanted software and unapproved pharmaceuticals.

As part of the process, Google also blocked over 25,000 apps because the developers violated policies, most commonly for ads being placed very close to buttons so that users clicked them accidentally. On top of that, it rejected over 1.4m submissions from apps wanting to show Google ads.

“We’re always updating our technology and our policies based on your feedback—and working to stay one step ahead of the fraudsters,” said Sridhar Ramaswamy, Google SVP, ads & commerce. “In 2016, we’re planning updates like further restricting what can be advertised as effective for weight loss, and adding new protections against malware and bots. We want to make sure all the ads you see are helpful and welcome and we’ll keep fighting to make that a reality.”