The terms prohibit publishers from incentivizing ad clicks, using directional cues or imagery to draw attention to ads, formatting ads or content to obscure the distinction between ads and editorial content, and applying misleading labels to ad units.
This analysis describes what Google Ads's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
This provision enumerates specific prohibited practices relating to ad disclosure and labeling, including a defined set of acceptable and prohibited label examples; publishers using non-compliant labeling or incentive structures are subject to account enforcement.
Under this clause, publishers are prohibited from compensating users for ad engagement, using visual or textual prompts to encourage clicks, and applying labels to ad units that do not accurately identify them as advertising, with named examples of both permissible and prohibited labels.
Cross-platform context
See how other platforms handle Encouraging Clicks and Deceptive Ad Labeling Prohibition and similar clauses.
Compare across platforms →"publishers participating in the AdSense program may not: Compensate users for viewing ads or performing searches, or promise compensation to a third party for such behavior. Encourage users to click the Google ads using phrases such as "click the ads", "support us", "visit these links" or other similar language. Direct user attention to the ads using arrows or other graphical gimmicks. Place misleading images alongside individual ads. Place ads in a floating box script. Format ads so that they become indistinguishable from other content on that page. Format site content so that it is difficult to distinguish it from ads. Place misleading labels above Google ad units. For instance, ads may be labelled "Sponsored Links" or "Advertisements", but not "Favorite Sites" or "Today's Top Offers".Excerpt from Google Ads's Google AdSense Program Policies
1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision directly engages FTC guidance on native advertising and clear and conspicuous disclosure requirements for digital advertising, which require that advertising be identifiable as such and not misleading to consumers.
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This provision enumerates specific prohibited practices relating to ad disclosure and labeling, including a defined set of acceptable and prohibited label examples; publishers using non-compliant labeling or incentive structures are subject to account enforcement.
Under this clause, publishers are prohibited from compensating users for ad engagement, using visual or textual prompts to encourage clicks, and applying labels to ad units that do not accurately identify them as advertising, with named examples of both permissible and prohibited labels.
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