Google gross sales representatives allegedly suggested advertisers to focus on teenage customers on YouTube, seemingly in violation of the platform’s personal insurance policies prohibiting the focusing on of minors.
Key particulars:
- Google reps reportedly informed a number of advert patrons to focus on the “unknown” class of YouTube customers, which doubtless consists of teenagers.
- This exercise goes past the beforehand reported settlement between Google and Meta to focus on 13- to 17-year-olds on YouTube.
- Google introduced in 2021 that it will not enable advertisers to focus on customers beneath 18 primarily based on age, gender or pursuits.
- Nevertheless, the “unknown” person class, the place demographic information shouldn’t be identified to Google, has been introduced as a strategy to probably attain teenage customers.
- One advert purchaser stated a Google rep steered focusing on 16+ yr olds with “disposable earnings,” once more through the use of the unknown class.
- One other purchaser stated a big leisure model finally satisfied Google to allow them to add their very own first-party information on teenagers to focus on on YouTube, regardless of the platform’s insurance policies.
Inadequate enforcement. This revelation raises severe issues about Google’s enforcement of its personal insurance policies prohibiting the focusing on of minors, particularly as laws just like the up to date Kids’s On-line Privateness Safety Act goals to additional prohibit internet marketing to youngsters.
Why we care. Whereas the temptation to entry hard-to-reach teenage audiences could also be robust, advertisers ought to be cautious about partaking in any ways that skirt Google’s insurance policies or put minors in danger. The potential dangers, together with authorized repercussions, far outweigh any short-term promoting features.
Google’s response. A Google spokesperson stated the corporate “strictly prohibits adverts being personalised to individuals beneath 18” and will likely be taking motion to strengthen this with gross sales representatives. Nevertheless, the examples supplied by advert patrons counsel the corporate has not successfully prevented this observe.
The large image. This incident underscores the continued rigidity between the data-driven calls for of advertisers and the necessity to defend younger web customers from probably dangerous or exploitative promoting practices.
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Concerning the creator
Anu Adegbola has been Paid Media Editor of Search Engine Land since 2024. She covers paid search, paid social, retail media, video and extra.
In 2008, Anu’s profession began with
delivering digital advertising and marketing campaigns (largely however not solely Paid Search) by constructing methods, maximising ROI, automating repetitive processes and bringing effectivity from each a part of advertising and marketing departments by way of inspiring management each on company, consumer and advertising and marketing tech aspect.
Exterior modifying Search Engine Land article she is the founding father of PPC networking occasion – PPC Dwell, host of weekly podcast PPCChat Roundup, and brand evangelist at ClickTech.
She can be a world speaker with a few of the phases she has introduced on being SMX (US), SMX (Munich), Associates of Search (Amsterdam), brightonSEO, The Advertising Meetup, HeroConf (PPC Hero), SearchLove, BiddableWorld, SESLondon, PPC Chat Dwell, AdWorld Expertise (Bologna) and extra.
