Gross sales representatives from Google have advised advertisers goal youngsters on YouTube, seemingly in violation of the platform’s personal insurance policies, in accordance with three advert consumers and written documentation seen by ADWEEK. This exercise goes past the apply that was first recognized by the Monetary Instances earlier this month.
Earlier this month, The FT reported that Google labored with Meta to focus on 13- to 17-year-old YouTube customers with advertisements, focusing on a gaggle of customers labeled as “unknown,” a gaggle that Google knew skewed in direction of below 18-year-olds, the article stated.
However consumers instructed ADWEEK that this exercise includes extra advertisers than the particular association between Meta and Google recognized by the Monetary Instances earlier this month. All consumers who spoke to ADWEEK for this text did so anonymously to debate delicate trade relations, however their identities are recognized to ADWEEK.
Google introduced in 2021 that it was now not permitting advertisers to focus on customers below 18 through age, gender, or pursuits.
Patrons can goal the unknown class, the place the demographic data of the customers will not be recognized to Google, in accordance with its weblog publish. A Google spokesperson stated unknown customers embody folks not signed into their accounts or who’ve chosen to show off customized promoting.
However, the FT article notes, Google has hundreds of knowledge factors, on every thing from customers’ location through cellphone masts to their app downloads and exercise on-line, to point that this cohort consists of youthful customers.
Focusing on the unknown class of customers could be a tactic to broaden the attain of a marketing campaign to a broad viewers, a Google spokesperson stated.
“We strictly prohibit ads being personalized to people under 18—full stop. Our policies are reinforced with technical protections, which continue to work properly,” a Google spokesperson instructed ADWEEK. “We take this matter very seriously, and as we’ve said, we will be taking additional action with sales representatives to reinforce that they must not help agencies or advertisers attempt to circumvent our policies.”
Google gave an analogous assertion to the FT about taking motion to verify gross sales representatives don’t assist advertisers try and work round Google’s insurance policies.
Within the final week, following the FT article, Google gross sales reps have instructed one purchaser that they’ll nonetheless goal teenagers by focusing on a gaggle of customers labeled as unknown.
“It shows that even Google can’t manage Google,” the customer stated. “So at what point do we stop and ask if Google is the best partner to give us advice?”
