Sunday, May 05 2024 | Updated at 02:53 PM EDT

Stay Connected With Us F T R

Mar 20, 2017 08:47 AM EDT

A lot of prominent advertisers pulled out their investments online with Google due to the risk of having their commercials appear beside inappropriate content.

The boycott came after Google was accused of displaying the ads on some terror sites. Extremist videos were also found on YouTube alongside the client advertisements. In fact, the British government already summoned the executives from the tech giant to explain the incidents.

Google admits mistake

The Guardian CEO, David Pemsel, wrote a letter to Google saying that several brands feel they have to advertise with the tech giant because of its "dominant position" in the market. He also noted that the same thing is true with YouTube and DoubleClick. Thus, these three companies should "uphold the highest standards" in terms of openness and transparency.

Also, "measures to avoid advertising fraud and misplacement in the future" must be taken into serious consideration. "It is very clear that this is not the case at the moment," Pemsel stressed.

On the other hand, Google UK senior executive Ronan Harris admitted in a blog post that their firm needs to "do a better job." With millions of sites and at least 400 hours of videos uploaded every minute, "[they] recognize that [they] do not always get it right." Nevertheless, Harris assured that future client commercials would not be published with content related to extremism.

Firms that ditched Google

According to Independent, three large British banks now join the growing list of advertisers that dropped Google. These firms are the HSBC, Lloyds, and the Royal Bank of Scotland. Accordingly, they just followed the moves of multinational companies like L'Oreal, Audi, and McDonald's, O2, Royal Mail, Havas, and Marks & Spencer.

Meanwhile, media organizations such as the BBC and Channel 4 also withdrew their Google ads investments. Sky, Barclay, and Vodafone are reportedly considering cancellation of their online campaign with the tech mogul too. Unless, of course, if it resolves the problem immediately.

For the record, Google handles about 35 percent of all online advertising. Alarmingly, it would be catastrophic if the boycott worsens. Well, the ads were earlier shown with videos from David Burke, the former leader of the infamous Klu Klux Klan, and even ISIS.

Other racist groups, rape apologists, and holocaust deniers are allegedly receiving payouts from Google for YouTube commercials too. To illustrate, one ad earns £6 for every 1,000 views. This only means that the firm has been unintentionally funneling cash to terrorists.

See Now: Covert Team Inside Newsweek Revealed as Key Players in False Human Trafficking Lawsuit

Follows Google, YouTube, DoubleClick ad, Google ads, Extremism, Marks and Spencer, David Burke, isis, Google issues
© 2024 University Herald, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Must Read

Common Challenges for College Students: How to Overcome Them

Oct 17, 2022 PM EDTFor most people, college is a phenomenal experience. However, while higher education offers benefits, it can also come with a number of challenges to ...

Top 5 Best Resources for Math Students

Oct 17, 2022 AM EDTMath is a subject that needs to be tackled differently than any other class, so you'll need the right tools and resources to master it. So here are 5 ...

Why Taking a DNA Test is Vital Before Starting a Family

Oct 12, 2022 PM EDTIf you're considering starting a family, this is an exciting time! There are no doubt a million things running through your head right now, from ...

By Enabling The Use Of Second-Hand Technology, Alloallo Scutter It's Growth While Being Economically And Environmentally Friendly.

Oct 11, 2022 PM EDTBrands are being forced to prioritise customer lifetime value and foster brand loyalty as return on advertising investment plummets. Several brands, ...