Google has announced a strict ban on advertisements for deepfake porn, addressing the growing concerns about the misuse of artificial intelligence to create and distribute fake sexually explicit content. The new Google ads policy, which takes effect on May 30, 2024, will prohibit ads on any site or app that creates, instructs, or endorses deepfake pornography.
The policy targets a sinister trend that has seen the faces and bodies of individuals digitally altered to appear in non-consensual, pornographic material. High-profile victims have included celebrities and public figures, illustrating the broad and damaging implications of this technology.
In a statement to The Verge, Google spokesperson Michael Aciman emphasized the company’s commitment to ethical advertising standards, saying, “This update is to explicitly prohibit advertisements for services that offer to create deepfake pornography or synthetic nude content. We consider violations of this policy egregious.”
Under the new guidelines, any advertiser found in breach of these rules will face severe repercussions, including immediate suspension of their Google Ads accounts without prior warning. The company also stated that violators would be permanently banned from using its advertising services.
Google’s decision comes amid increasing instances of deepfakes, which have not only targeted celebrities like Taylor Swift and Jenna Ortega but have also affected political figures such as Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Moreover, the spread of such content has reached educational institutions, with reports from Los Angeles schools of deepfakes involving students circulating locally.
The tech giant’s crackdown follows a year in which nearly 2 billion ads for AI porn were removed under its sexual content policies. This latest move is part of a broader effort by technology companies to tackle the darker aspects of AI influencers and maintain the integrity of digital advertising while protecting the privacy and dignity of individuals online.
