Google to Simplify Advertizer Controls Amid Outcry Over Extremist Videos
March 20 2017 - 9:03AM
Dow Jones News
By Stu Woo
LONDON--An executive for Alphabet Inc.'s Google apologized
Monday for commercials that appeared before extremist videos on its
YouTube site and said it would simplify tools that allow
advertisers to control where their ads appear.
Google already provides controls that allow advertisers to
choose where their ads go, said Matt Brittin, Google's president
for Europe, Middle East and Africa. But advertisers weren't using
such tools, perhaps because they were too complex, he said.
"If the controls are there but people aren't using them, that's
our problem," Mr. Brittin said at an Advertising Week conference in
London.
On Monday, Marks and Spencer became the latest company to
suspend its advertizing from Google. The move by the U.K. retailer
comes after major advertisers, including the U.K. government and
the British unit of French advertising giant Havas SA, suspended
advertising on YouTube and the Google Display Network last week
after a report showing that commercials appeared before videos
supporting terrorist groups.
Mr. Brittin said he would step up enforcement and review its
policies to make sure ads wouldn't unwittingly appear next to
extremist videos. He said Google wanted to be careful with how it
did so because some advertisers, such as news organizations, might
want to place ads alongside controversial content.
"We want to be thoughtful," Mr. Brittin said, adding that Google
would reveal more details soon.
Write to Stu Woo at Stu.Woo@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 20, 2017 08:48 ET (12:48 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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