Google to Require All Advertisers to Verify Identity

Google announced that all of its advertisers will soon be required to verify their identity as the search engine giant strives to be more transparent.

In a blog post published Thursday, Google's director of product management, ads integrity John Canfield said the policy the company enacted almost two years ago for political advertising will be expanded to all ads.

"As part of this initiative, advertisers will be required to complete a verification program in order to buy ads on our network," Canfield wrote. "Advertisers will need to submit personal identification, business incorporation documents or other information that proves who they are and the country in which they operate.

"Beginning this summer, users will start to see disclosures that list this information about the advertiser behind the ads they see."

Canfield wrote that the new policy will be implemented across the company's network, a lineup that includes the Google search engine and YouTube.

"This change will make it easier for people to understand who the advertiser is behind the ads they see from Google and help them make more informed decisions when using our advertising controls," he wrote. "It will also help support the health of the digital advertising ecosystem by detecting bad actors and limiting their attempts to misrepresent themselves."

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