You should have the tools and information to make informed decisions about ads from Google.
In addition to tools like “Report this ad,” our policies and verification programs promote greater transparency in advertising with information about advertisers and how Google ads work.
Advertisers show ads with Google around the world. Some of our advertiser policies, such as ads for specific types of products and services, are based on where the advertiser is located or where their ads appear.
When an advertiser doesn’t follow required policies, Google may stop showing their ads or suspend their account.
Learn who's behind the ads you see
Ad disclosures that include an advertiser’s name and location are being introduced over the next few years across the world. Advertiser identity verification requires advertisers to provide legal documentation with their name and location. When an advertiser completes identity verification, that advertiser’s name and location appear with their Google ads. You’ll see these ad disclosures on Google services, such as Search and YouTube, and other sites that show ads from our network.
See who paid for election ads
For ads covered by Google election ad policies, you can see more details about the advertiser by selecting the icon in the corner of the ad.
The election ad disclosures provide additional information about the advertiser who paid for the ad. You can also learn more about these advertisers in the Political Advertising Transparency Report.
See details about policies for election ads in the Political content policy.
Protecting you from deceptive ads
You should feel confident that ads are not fraudulent or misleading. Our policies and technology enable us to prevent and remove billions of bad ads from the internet every year.
To help prevent fraud and abuse, we have policies and programs for certain types of products or services. To show ads for these products or services, advertisers need to prove that they have a license or that they are registered with the appropriate organization.
For example, we have certification programs for advertisers who want to show ads for healthcare and medicine, gambling, financial services, and other topics. Based on the topic, we may work with experts to confirm that the advertiser meets the current standards for their industry, and whether they have the appropriate license. What advertisers can show also depends on the laws or policies in the country where the advertiser is located, or where their ads show.
Learn more about our verification programs in the Advertising Policies Help Center.