Google Election Ads Verification Requirements Launch This Week

Google has announced new election advertisement policies rolling out this week. The change follows the company's promise last year to help make political ads more transparent. Initially, Google says it will require extra verification from the buyer when they attempt to buy an election ad in the US, among other things. That's just the start, though, as the company plans to launch additional transparency efforts this summer.

To kick things off, Google will be verifying the identity of election advertisement buyers, including confirming they're either a lawful permanent resident or a US citizen. To prove this, the buyer will need to provide a government ID as well as other unspecified "key information."

In addition, and for the benefit of people who will view the ads, Google is also requiring a "clear disclosure" revealing who is paying for the advertisements. Starting this summer, Google will launch a new Transparency Report that focuses specifically on these election advertisements.

Included in the report details will be info on who is paying for the election ads, as well as how much money they're spending. In the future, Google plans to offer a searchable library containing election advertisements, helping anyone find ads that were purchased via the company, as well as info on the buyer.

"As we learn from these changes and our continued engagement with leaders and experts in the field," Google says, "we'll work to improve transparency of political issue ads and expand our coverage to a wider range of elections."

SOURCE: Google Blog