Banishing bad ads
Like it or not, ads are a large reason why much of the content you see on the web is free to access (versus sitting behind a paywall). Maybe that will change in the coming years, but for now, its simply how the web works. Be that as it may, its not an excuse to let so called "bad ads" rum amok, or run at all, and Google says it shut down hundreds of millions of them last year.
"Some ads are just plain bad—like ads that carry malware, cover up content you’re trying to see, or promote fake goods. Bad ads can ruin your entire online experience, a problem we take very seriously," Google explained in a blog post. "That’s why we have a strict set of policies for the kinds of ads businesses can run with Google—and why we’ve invested in sophisticated technology and a global team of 1,000+ people dedicated to fighting bad ads."
And what of those that run afoul of Googles policies? The sultan of search said it disabled more than 780 million ads last year alone. Thats the most yet of any given year, and not surprisingly, its a number that continues to grow.
Need some perspective?
"If you spent one second looking at each of these ads, itd take you nearly 25 years to see them all!," Google added.
Ads laced with malware obviously draw the attention of Googles ban hammer, but theyre not the only kind that get snuffed out. Google also keeps a lookout for fraudulent ads that make false claims, such as those related to weight loss, along with phishing ads, those touting certain pharmaceuticals, counterfeiters, and so forth.
Google also said it cracked down on trick-to-click ads.
"We got even tougher on ads that mislead or trick people into interacting with them—like ads designed to look like system warnings from your computer. In 2015 alone we rejected more than 17 million," Google says.
Its a growing problem and to stay ahead of the curve, Google said its planning updates for 2016 like adding more restrictions on allowable ads and new protections against malware and bots.
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