Google says all advertisers must prove identities moving forward

[demmiblue]

Source: Axios

Google has changed its advertising policies to require all advertisers, not just those with political affiliations, to complete an identity verification program to show ads on its platforms, which include Google Search, Google News, YouTube and more.

Why it matters: Verification tends to weed out spammy advertisers, including those that sell things like price-gauged hand sanitizer or fake coronavirus face masks.

How it works: Advertisers will need to submit personal identification, business incorporation documents or other information that proves who or what they are and the country they operate in.

Users will moving forward be able to see the advertiser's name and country of origin in the "Why this ad?" menu on the page the ad is served.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/google-advertisers-identity-97d6a071-2e19-45fe-9f82-c9a151e1861e.html

[DeminPennswoods]

1. Sounds like good step forward

nt

[Moostache]

2. About goddamn time...(n/t)

[2naSalit]

3. Good move, now that ads online have become a well established cesspool. ...nt

[marble falls]

4. A very good start. Lets see how it gets implimented and how deep "identification" goes.

[RRDrummer]

5. Ya, moving forward

we were thinking - credibility? Fuck it, why not?

[Roy Rolling]

6. Anonymous

I couldn’t spell anonymnity. 😁

Seriously, anonymous business transactions are a new phenomenon. Nobody did business— take money or buy something— with a person or company they didn’t know. 99.99% of the time.

Only on the Internet has that new issue raised its head.

Up to this point, Internet companies have been reluctant to address it like it doesn’t exist. Why? Because admitting it exists is the opposite of their business plan. They rely on “stupid” people advertisers can sell to or “educate”.

[PoliticAverse]

10. Lots of physical stores take cash from me without requiring any form of identification. n/t

[flibbitygiblets]

13. No offense, but how is that relevant? /nt

[PoliticAverse]

14. It's a refutation of...

"Nobody did business— take money or buy something— with a person or company they didn’t know. 99.99% of the time."

[Roy Rolling]

19. No it isn't

If you buy from a business without knowing its identity you are among the .01% of people I mentioned who I knew might find fault with the generality. That’s why I said 99.99%

Buying anonymously on the Internet is a new thing, as is the Internet. Reasonable people familiarized themselves with a business before buying their product, not so much now.

[PoliticAverse]

21. Well in the case of Google they are sellers of a product (advertisements) and sellers care...

about payment.

[KPN]

17. This is about the sellers, not the buyers.

[PoliticAverse]

18. Part of the reason for money being money is that anyone can accept it without having to...

worry about the identity or credit worthyness of the person paying. Sellers routinely sell to customers (including other businesses ) without having to verify their identity in the real world as long as payment is assured. What is the reason for caring about who your customer is? In general there is no reason unless there may be a problem concerning the illegality of the transaction.

[KPN]

23. Exactly -- the customer being the buyer. My point.

[PJMcK]

7. That's very good news but I have a bone to pick

Axios is terribly edited!

What is "price-gauged?" I'm sure the writer meant "price-gouged."

This grammar is Trumpian: "Users will moving forward be able to see..."

I see this kind of sloppiness on their site nearly every day.

Rant off.

[yellowdogintexas]

15. not just Axios If I could wrangle an editing job for these outfits

I would never have to worry about $ again.

[Firestorm49]

8. Good. It's about time.

[flibbitygiblets]

9. Your move, Fakebook!

Honestly I don't miss Facebook at all. Since they became de-facto Russian propaganda machine, I quit them because I don't want to be part of the problem. I thought I'd miss keeping up wtih family and friends, but turns out, I'm actually happier. Mostly because I'm not constantly DISAPPOINTED by people's abject stupidity.

[Greyhead]

11. Don't hold your breath.

[NCjack]

12. The name and address of person or organization placing an ad should be on the ad. nt

[Wounded Bear]

16. And will current advertisers be grandfathered in?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[BlueIdaho]

20. Where is Amazon on this? How about FaceBook? nt.

[BComplex]

22. YAY!!! Just YAY! n/t

[Marrah_Goodman]

24. Good! It's about time.

[FakeNoose]

25. Wow, all of a sudden they're operating like a responsible business

What brought this on, I wonder?