YouTube will allow its users to choose not to see the majority of gambling and alcohol ads in case they do not want to see them. This will be possible through some tools that are expected to be officially released by Google in the UK in 2021.
As The Guardian reported, Google has decided to take the measure as a response to some users’ feedback. Some people have been concerned by, in their opinion, the large number of gambling and alcohol adverts they were seeing online, including on YouTube and on third-party websites.
Currently, it is possible to adjust the content of personalised adverts, which are based on the browsing history of customers, through the existing Ad Settings function of Google. However, most ads are contextual, which means they are linked to the content that is being viewed on YouTube or on websites that use Google Ads to provide advertisers with some advertising space.
This opportunity has ended up with some online casino and online gambling adverts appearing on pages where they are not supposed to be present, such as, for example, news articles regarding problem gambling. As a result, Google has faced harsh criticism for that, with campaigners blaming the American technology company for allowing gambling adverts to appear on websites and platforms that are accessed by vulnerable individuals, including underage individuals and gambling addicts.
This, however, is set to change. As of this year in the US, and early 2021 in the UK and the rest of the world, Google will make it possible for customers to avoid such adverts via its Ads Settings feature.
Probably Not All Gambling and Alcohol Ads Will Be Filtered
What has become clear so far is that the Ads Settings feature will not be able to guarantee that absolutely all gambling and alcohol adverts are filtered. However, The Guardian revealed that Google feels confident that it will be able to exclude most of those adverts that are otherwise seen on YouTube or websites using Google Ads.
Google’s move has been made after lengthy discussions with the alcoholic drinks sector. The chief executive officer of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking, Henry Ashworth, explained that the Alliance’s members have been willing to provide users with better control over the alcohol-related marketing content online. He further shared some hopes that the partnership that respects every user’s personal preferences would be the beginning of a broader movement.
As far as the newly-announced changes are concerned, Google revealed that users in countries where alcohol- and gambling-related adverts have already been suspended would see no change in their Google Ads’ settings.
A spokesperson for the trade organisation that represents the gambling sector in the UK – the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) – explained that they had previously called for Google and other tech platforms to roll out a feature allowing customers to stop seeing gambling ads. Now, the BGC welcomed the move, calling it a step in the right direction.
Previously, gambling companies in the UK agreed to stop displaying adverts during live televised sports matches following rising concerns that minors and vulnerable individuals are constantly being bombarded by gambling ads.
- Author
Olivia Cole
