Google pausing ads that exploit, dismiss Russia-Ukraine war
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Google (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL) said late on Wednesday that it would not allow advertising on websites, apps or YouTube channels that are found to exploit, dismiss or allow Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Taking policies that the Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) unit has used in the past for violence or tragic events, it will also enforce them for the ongoing crisis in Eastern Europe, which has displaced some 4 million refugees and resulted in the deaths of thousands of Ukrainian civilians, soldiers and Russian soldiers.
"We can confirm that we're taking additional steps to clarify, and in some instances expand our monetization guidelines as they relate to the war in Ukraine," Google spokesman Michael Aciman said in a comment to Reuters.
Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) shares were higher in premarket trading to $2,776.71 on Thursday.
In addition, Google News is now blocked in Russia, after Russian communications regulator Roskomnadzor accused it of misreporting the Russian invasion, according to Interfax.
Last week, Roskomnadzor warned YouTube to stop running "anti-Russian" ads and "spreading threats" against its citizens in what many saw as a potential precursor to block access in the country.
YouTube is still operational in the country, but Meta Platforms' (FB) Facebook and Instagram have been blocked and Twitter (TWTR) has had intermittent issues.
Separately on Wednesday, Google (GOOG, GOOGL) said it would allow Spotify (SPOT) to offer its own payment system, in conjunction with Google's, as part of a small pilot program that could potentially broaden to other apps in the Google Play Store.