Google plans to pull the plug on pornographic and adult content from its advertisement network, AdWords.
Google, the renowned internet search company, makes most of its revenue through advertisements. But the web giant is not compromising on the content in its ads to make the extra cash. Google has decided to ban pornographic websites from using its advertising network, AdWords, to promote adult content. The new policy will not just ban ads that may contain explicit words and images but will also disapprove ads that provide links to explicit websites.
Google originally announced the change in March with expected implementation in late June. But the emails were sent out to the companies a few weeks ago.
"Beginning in the coming weeks, we'll no longer accept ads that promote graphic depictions of sexual acts including, but not limited to, hardcore pornography; graphic sexual acts including sex acts such as masturbation; genital, anal, and oral sexual activity," Google in an e-mail sent to porn companies using AdWords, according to Venture Beat.
"When we make this change, Google will disapprove all ads and sites that are identified as being in violation of our revised policy. Our system identified your account as potentially affected by this policy change. We ask that you make any necessary changes to your ads and sites to comply so that your campaigns can continue to run."
According to Google's definition of sexually explicit content, advertisers can promote non-intimate massage services, strip clubs and lap dancing and adult dating sites, which come with certain limitations and non-family status.
Despite the early announcement, some companies were surprised by Google's move. According to CNBC, some adult advertisers felt the web giant would never make any changes to the porn content on its ad network as it was untouched for over a decade. But the change is unlikely to affect the biggest porn sites. The publication points out that in May, searches involving the words sex, porn and other adult keywords fell just short of 351 million. Google's organic search will continue to serve users' purpose on the site.
In February this year, Google banned porn content on its popular Chromecast dongle and in summer last year pornographic ads on Blogger got the boot.
Read more: Google Says No To Porn On Chromecast
