Google Has Removed Ads From 600,000 Pages and 16,000 Domains in Brazil

Google has announced the removal of ads from 600,000 pages and 16,000 domains in Brazil between April and June, 2020. In addition, the company also reported that two out of every three sites in the country attempting to register for Google AdSense are rejected.

This data disclosure happens at a moment when the company is questioned in Brazil for allowing payment for sites that spread violent content and hate speech. In recent months, Google has been under pressure from Brazilian authorities and the public opinion - through organizations like Sleeping Giants Brasil - after the revelation that sites containing fake news and attacks on institutions, such as the Brazilian Supreme Court, were receiving money through Google AdSense.

In order to generate revenue, the sites’ responsible must register it with Google. Then, artificial intelligence tools and employees review the content. After the approval, the company makes regular analysis of the registered pages to identify possible violations of its policies. The removal of ads from 600,000 pages and 16,000 domains in Brazil happened after this analysis.

The company claimed that the spread of sexual content was the main reason for removing ads. Other relevant reasons were dangerous or derogatory content, weapons and related products, hate speech, and harmful or unwanted software. The company also claims that this proportion is similar to that of other countries.

This was the first time that Google disclosed ad removal data in Brazil. The company says there is no way to compare this information with previous moments because there were no surveys of this type before. Finally, the company affirms that the data shows Google’s "commitment" to a safer environment on the Internet.