Sales of Google Ads in Russia Stopped Due to Censorship

Russia's military aggression against Ukraine has prompted many brands and organizations to suspend operations and restrict access to services. For example, Alphabet Inc., the holding company that owns Google, has announced that it is suspending the sale of ads on all of its platforms. Earlier, representatives of Snapchat and Twitter also announced similar measures.

According to Google, since the situation is changing rapidly, they are forced to suspend their services and monetization tools temporarily. The move follows a preliminary ban on the sale and purchase of advertising by Russian pro-state media. Specifically, the company cites a privacy policy that states that marketing campaigns may only be used for anti-war purposes and not for spreading disinformation or profiting from the war.

Earlier, the Russian authorities tried to force Google to stop publishing allegedly unreliable data on the number of dead Ukrainian civilians and the Russian military. According to the government, such information is false and aims to confuse society. Of course, the company refused to comply with such conditions, like many other platforms. In response, the authorities simply restrict users' access to these resources within the country.

Recall that Google has already received fines from the Russian authorities in the past. For example, last year, the company was forced to pay about 32 million rubles (more than $300 000 at the current exchange rate) for non-compliance with the country's content requirements. Such limitations will have a considerable impact on both Russian users and Google as a company. Based on data from SPARK, the firm's revenue in Russia for the year 2020 exceeded $790 million.

Please share your thoughts on this confrontation in the information field. Will the restrictions imposed by Google, together with other sanctions, affect Moscow's actions?