Skip to main content
U.S. Elections

Google to block election ads after polls close to combat misinformation

Share

Google announced it will block all election advertisements after the last polls close on Election Day. The plan is an effort to prevent voting misinformation.

Media Landscape

See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this data
Left 18% Center 27% Right 55%
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News

The company did this for the 2020 election and said it will continue the policy to limit the potential for confusion since votes will likely continue to be counted after Nov. 5.

QR code for SAN app download

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

During the pause, Google will still run public information campaign ads created by state or federal government agencies. In 2020, Google lifted the post-election ban in December ahead of a runoff election in Georgia.

That’s expected to be the case again this election. The policy reflects an ongoing trend in digital platforms taking proactive measures to address concerns about the impact political ads can have on the voting process.

Other companies, including Meta, plan to block political and social ads during the last week of voting. Google implemented the same ad blocking policy after the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021 and removed the block in February.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

[Craig Nigrelli]

IN A MOVE TO PREVENT VOTING MISINFORMATION … GOOGLE ANNOUNCED IT WILL BLOCK ALL ELECTION ADS AFTER THE LAST POLLS CLOSE ON ELECTION DAY.

THE COMPANY DID THIS FOR THE 20-20 ELECTION AND SAYS IT WILL CONTINUE THE POLICY TO LIMIT THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFUSION SINCE VOTES WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO BE COUNTED AFTER NOVEMBER FIFTH. 

DURING THE PAUSE, GOOGLE WILL STILL RUN PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGN ADS CREATED BY STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. 

IN 20-20, GOOGLE LIFTED THE POST-ELECTION BAN IN DECEMBER AHEAD OF A RUNOFF ELECTION IN GEORGIA. 

THAT’S EXPECTED TO BE THE CASE AGAIN THIS ELECTION. 

THE POLICY REFLECTS AN ONGOING TREND IN DIGITAL PLATFORMS TAKING PROACTIVE MEASURES TO ADDRESS CONCERNS ABOUT THE IMPACT POLITICAL ADS CAN HAVE ON THE VOTING PROCESS.

OTHER COMPANIES LIKE META ALSO PLAN TO BLOCK POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ADS DURING THE LAST WEEK OF VOTING.

GOOGLE IMPLEMENTED THE SAME AD BLOCKING POLICY AFTER THE CAPITOL RIOT ON JANUARY SIXTH 20-21 … REMOVING THE BLOCK IN FEBRUARY.  

FOR SAN – I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI. 

TO STAY UP TO DATE ON ELECTION NEWS, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP AND BE SURE TO CHECK THE BOX FOR U-S ELECTIONS SO YOU NEVER MISS AN UPDATE.