Google encouraged advertisers to target teens on YouTube

Google gross sales representatives allegedly suggested advertisers to focus on teenage customers on YouTube, seemingly in violation of the platform’s personal insurance policies prohibiting the focusing on of minors.

Key particulars:

• Google reps reportedly informed a number of advert consumers to focus on the “unknown” class of YouTube customers, which probably consists of teenagers.
• This exercise goes past the beforehand reported settlement between Google and Meta to focus on 13- to 17-year-olds on YouTube.
• Google introduced in 2021 that it could no longer allow advertisers to target users under 18 based mostly on age, gender or pursuits.
• Nevertheless, the “unknown” person class, the place demographic knowledge shouldn’t be recognized to Google, has been offered as a option to probably attain teenage customers.
• One advert purchaser mentioned a Google rep recommended focusing on 16+ yr olds with “disposable revenue,” once more by utilizing the unknown class.
• One other purchaser mentioned a big leisure model ultimately satisfied Google to allow them to add their very own first-party knowledge on teenagers to focus on on YouTube, regardless of the platform’s insurance policies.

Inadequate enforcement. This revelation raises critical considerations about Google’s enforcement of its personal insurance policies prohibiting the focusing on of minors, particularly as laws just like the up to date Youngsters’s On-line Privateness Safety Act goals to additional limit internet advertising to youngsters.

Why we care. Whereas the temptation to entry hard-to-reach teenage audiences could also be robust, advertisers needs to be cautious about partaking in any ways that skirt Google’s insurance policies or put minors in danger. The potential dangers, together with authorized repercussions, far outweigh any short-term promoting positive factors.

Google’s response. A Google spokesperson mentioned the corporate “strictly prohibits advertisements being personalised to individuals underneath 18” and will likely be taking motion to strengthen this with gross sales representatives. Nevertheless, the examples supplied by advert consumers counsel the corporate has not successfully prevented this apply.

The massive image. This incident underscores the continued pressure between the data-driven calls for of advertisers and the necessity to shield younger web customers from probably dangerous or exploitative promoting practices.