Global brands shun Google over row over extremist content
Global brands shun Google
Hundreds of companies suspend advertising in row over
extremist content
Alexi Mostrous, Head of Investigations March 21 2017,
12:01am, The Times
Some of the brands that have pulled their ads. The
scandal caused Google’s stock to be downgraded yesterday
Global brands including Volkswagen, Toyota and Tesco last
night joined the more than 250 companies that have suspended advertising deals
with Google as the internet giant apologised for failing to crack down on
extremism.
ITV, Aviva and Heinz also pulled advertising from
YouTube, Google’s video platform, after an investigation by The Times found the
companies promoted on videos posted by hate preachers, rape apologists and
homophobic extremists banned from entering Britain.
A growing number of brands have blocked Google or YouTube
advertising since the revelations last week. They include Marks & Spencer,
Lloyds Bank, O2, L’Oréal, RBS, the BBC, Channel 4 and McDonald’s, as well as
the British government. Google does not disclose YouTube revenues, but the
accounts are thought to be worth more than £50 million a year.
Matt Brittin, Google’s head in Europe, apologised
yesterday and pledged to tackle the issue, telling a conference of advertising
executives in London: “When anything like this happens we take responsibility
for it.” He admitted, however, that Google did not plan to employ anybody to
search out and delete extremist content. Google employees would only examine
such content “through two lenses”, he said — when the videos were flagged by
other users or detected using automated technology.
Brian Wieser, a US media analyst, downgraded Google’s
stock yesterday, warning that the scandal could have global repercussions.
Publicis, the world’s third largest advertising agency, said it was clear that
Google had fallen short of meeting advertising standards. The French company is
reviewing its relationship with Google.
Mr Brittin claimed that Google’s tools and policies
worked well in most situations but admitted they needed to improve. It will now
make rapid changes to its policies on advertising to “raise the bar” for what
is categorised as hate speech or inflammatory content.
As well as making it easier for brands to control where
adverts appear, the company will invest in technology to speed up the process
of flagging and removing extremist content, he said. “We know we can do even
more here,” Mr Brittin said, adding that 98 per cent of content flagged on
YouTube was reviewed within 24 hours.
However, when The Times flagged six virulently
antisemitic videos to Google last week, the site failed to remove any within 24
hours. Google took down four of the videos only after this newspaper contacted
it again.
Volkswagen adverts were found playing on the official
YouTube channel of Wagdi Ghoneim, an Islamist who has been banned from Britain
for fomenting terrorism. Ghoneim’s videos have attracted hundreds of thousands
of views, suggesting that he makes substantial sums from advertisers.
Typically, YouTube users receive about £6 for every 1,000 clicks an advert
attracts.
ITV, whose adverts appeared on videos posted by David
Duke, the former KKK leader, said it would urgently review all future
advertising on YouTube and Google. Toyota, which was promoted on YouTube videos
posted by Stephen Anderson, a homophobic preacher banned in Britain, said it
had suspended YouTube advertising. Volkswagen said it had paused “all activity”
on YouTube.
Dan Brooke, chief marketing officer at Channel 4,
welcomed Mr Brittin’s apology but said he was “not reassured that they are a
safe platform”. Kraft Heinz Europe has halted activity on Google.
BIG MONEY CLIENTS
BRANDS THAT HAVE PULLED OUT
Tesco
Volkswagen
Toyota
Marks & Spencer
HSBC
Lloyds
Royal Bank of Scotland
McDonald’s
L’Oréal
Audi
BBC
O2
The Royal Mail
Domino’s Pizza
Sainsbury’s
Argos
Neutrogena
UK government
BRANDS STILL ADVERTISING (BUT INVESTIGATING)
Sky
British Airways
Intercontinental Hotels
Microsoft
EY
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