Google plans to ban all AdWords ads for anything related to cryptocurrencies starting in June 2018. This includes exchanges, ICOs, and even pages offering information about trading.
AdWords’ Financial Services ad policy has been updated to reflect this change, which now reads:
”In addition, ads for the following will no longer be allowed to serve:
- Binary options and synonymous products
- Cryptocurrencies and related content (including but not limited to initial coin offerings, cryptocurrency exchanges, cryptocurrency wallets, and cryptocurrency trading advice)”
Google’s move to ban cryptocurrency-related advertising is a cautionary response to harm caused to consumers by cryptocurrency scams. Google wants to mitigate the potential for harm that may be caused in the future.
Scott Spencer, director of sustainable ads for Google, stated:
”We don’t have a crystal ball to know where the future is going to go with cryptocurrencies, but we’ve seen enough consumer harm or potential for consumer harm that it’s an area that we want to approach with extreme caution.”
Google AdWords is not the first major ad network to ban cryptocurrency-related advertising. Facebook implemented similar policies earlier this year.
