Google Blocks Search Ads From Donetsk People’s Republic & Luhansk People’s Republic

Google has posted a new legal requirement policy that blocks search ads related to what is going on with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The policy says that entities and individuals who are restricted cannot create or use a Google Ads account or have Google Ads used on their behalf for those who are located in or reside in so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR). Google Merchant Center is also blocking Shopping Ads from Russian Federation state-funded media.

Wikipedia describes these regions as disputed territories in Donbas. The central government of Ukraine regards the republics as being under terrorist control. Both declared independence from Ukraine following an unofficial status referendum in May 2014. Shortly thereafter, both self-proclaimed states merged to form the short-lived confederation of Novorossiya which was suspended a year later. Also in 2014, South Ossetia, a similar breakaway separatist republic, recognized the independence of both states. On 21 February 2022, the two republics were recognized as independent states by the Russian Federation.

Google posted “The Google Ads Legal Requirements policy has been updated to reflect the addition of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR) to the list of embargoed countries or territories in order to comply with the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). This addition is effective immediately.”

The full requirement says:

Advertisers must comply with applicable sanctions and export regulations, which includes sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), and agree to not cause Google to violate these regulations. You cannot use Ads for or on behalf of restricted entities or individuals. You cannot use Ads for or on behalf of entities or individuals located in sanctioned countries or regions.

In addition, Ads are not available to any entities or individuals that are restricted under applicable trade sanctions and export compliance laws. It is also not available to entities or individuals owned or controlled by or acting for or on behalf of such restricted entities or individuals.

Ad campaigns that are run by or on behalf of entities or individuals that are restricted under applicable trade sanctions and regulations.

Note: Google must comply with sanctions imposed by OFAC. Entities and individuals who are restricted cannot create or use a Google Ads account or have Google Ads used on their behalf. People who are located in or ordinarily reside in embargoed countries or territories cannot create or use a Google Ads account. Currently, there are embargoes on Crimea, Cuba, so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR), Iran, North Korea, and Syria.

Google also posted it is blocking ads from the Russian Federation state-funded media, it posted this news in the Google Merchant Center announcements section saying “Effective immediately, due to an ongoing sensitive event (the crisis in Ukraine), we are pausing ads from and for Russian Federation state-funded media.”

Here are related stories:

Google says it is barring Russian state-funded media from using its ad technology to generate revenue on their own websites, apps, and YouTube videos (@peard33 / Reuters)https://t.co/TzF3CqBs3xhttps://t.co/O4iXILGrTw

— Techmeme (@Techmeme) February 27, 2022

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