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A sensitive event is defined as an unforeseen or unexpected situation that poses a significant risk to Google’s ability to provide high-quality, relevant information while limiting insensitive or exploitative content in prominent and monetized features.
A sensitive event is defined as an unforeseen or unexpected situation that poses a significant risk to Google’s ability to provide high-quality, relevant information while limiting insensitive or exploitative content in prominent and monetized features.
Sensitive events may include events with major social, cultural or political impact, such as civil emergencies, natural disasters, public health crises, terrorism, conflict or acts of mass violence.
Google updates its policy for sensitive events. The updated policy, which will go into effect in February 2024, provides a clearer definition of sensitive events and outlines specific prohibited practices during such events.
During a sensitive event, Google may take several actions to address these risks, including:
- Removing, rejecting or approving Shopping ads that exploit the sensitive event. This includes advertisements that promote price gouging or artificially inflate prices, limiting access to essential supplies.
- Take action against advertisers who use keywords related to a sensitive event to drive additional traffic. This also applies to advertisements that are misleading or sensational in nature.
- Removing Shopping ads that claim victims of a sensitive event were responsible for their own tragedy or similar instances of victim blaming. This includes claims that victims of a Sensitive Event do not deserve redress or support.
- Removing Shopping ads that claim victims from certain countries were responsible or deserved a global public health crisis. This type of content is harmful, insensitive, and inconsistent with Google’s values.
