Google Suspends 2.9 Million Accounts, Removes 247M Ads in India

In a significant move to ensure ad safety, Alphabet's Google revealed on Wednesday that it took stringent actions in 2024 by removing a total of 247.4 million ads in India and suspending approximately 2.9 million advertiser accounts. The company's comprehensive Ads Safety Report outlined these actions as part of its ongoing efforts to curb ad policy violations.

Globally, the tech giant went a step further by suspending over 39.2 million advertiser accounts, taking down 5.1 billion ads, and imposing restrictions on more than 9.1 billion ads. Google’s report detailed the continuous adaptation of its defenses against evolving online threats, such as the increasing prevalence of AI-driven public figure impersonation ads.

A key focus of Google’s efforts in 2024 was the enhancement of its large language models (LLMs), designed to better identify fraudulent activities and spot suspicious behavior during account creation. The company made over 50 improvements to its LLM systems, significantly accelerating investigations into complex scams.

To bolster its defense mechanisms, Google also mobilized a dedicated team of over 100 professionals, focused on creating updated policies and measures targeting scam advertisers. As a result, the company was able to permanently suspend more than 700,000 accounts. This initiative helped to drive a 90 per cent reduction in scam-related ads over the past year.

The report also highlighted five primary types of policy violations that triggered these actions:

1. Misleading or fraudulent financial service offerings.

2. Trademark infringement issues.

3. Abuse of Google’s ad network, including attempts to bypass systems.

4. Misuse of personalized ads.

5. Violations related to gambling and gaming.