On Thursday, Google announced a significant increase in its ad-blocking efforts for 2025, reporting that it had removed 8.3 billion ads globally, up from 5.1 billion in the previous year. Despite this surge in blocked ads, the technology giant suspended far fewer advertiser accounts, raising concerns about its enforcement practices.
Google credits this discrepancy to its enhanced use of AI, particularly through its Gemini models, which aid in detecting and preemptively blocking ads that violate policies. According to the company, over 99% of such non-compliant ads were identified and halted prior to reaching users in 2025.
These findings are part of Google’s 2025 Ads Safety Report and reflect a noticeable shift in the company’s enforcement strategies. While there is an evident rise in the number of problematic ads being blocked, the decline in the suspension of advertiser accounts suggests a move towards assessing violations on a case-by-case basis instead of outright banning offenders.
The increase in blocked ads has also been linked to a rise in scams using generative AI to create misleading content on a larger scale. Google’s Gemini models facilitate the early detection of these patterns across extensive campaigns, allowing for quicker intervention.
This transition aligns with Google’s broader initiative to deeply incorporate AI into its advertisements and other core products. The technology assists in automating campaign creation, identifying policy breaches, and responding to threats in real-time.
In terms of specifics, Google reported that of the blocked ads and suspended accounts in 2025, 602 million ads and 4 million advertiser accounts were connected to scams. In the U.S. alone, the company removed over 1.7 billion ads and suspended approximately 3.3 million advertiser accounts. The most common violations included ad network abuse, misrepresentation, and sexual content.
In India, Google’s largest market in terms of users, the company blocked nearly 483.7 million ads—almost double the amount from the previous year—while account suspensions decreased to 1.7 million, down from 2.9 million, with violations concerning trademarks and copyright being among the top issues.
Keerat Sharma, Vice President and General Manager of Ads Privacy and Safety at Google, expressed that the company has transitioned towards a more targeted, AI-driven approach, allowing for granular enforcement at the creative level rather than relying solely on broad measures like suspending advertisers. This new strategy has reportedly led to an 80% reduction in incorrect suspensions year-on-year.
Google’s multi-layered defense strategies include a verification process requiring advertisers to confirm their identities before creating accounts, which aids in preventing bad actors from entering the platform. Sharma noted that as new defenses are implemented and wrongdoers adapt, the statistics may fluctuate, with the aim of halting harmful ads as early as possible.
Fanpage: TechArena.au
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