We all knew it’s a matter of time: Google is working on introducing changes to its terms that’ll allow certain entities to run coronavirus ads on its global online ad network.
The exception will initially apply to hospitals, with plans to extend it to political institutions too, Reuters reports. Medical providers and non-governmental organizations are also expected to get a pass to push coronavirus ads. The new rules are slated to be revealed over the coming days.
[Read: YouTube throttles video quality in Europe due to coronavirus]
“Currently we do not allow such ads to run under our Sensitive Events policy, which is designed to protect users by blocking ads that try to capitalize on short-term events like natural disasters,” read the memo sent by Google’s head of industry for elections, Mark Beatty, and first reported by Axios.
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“However, coronavirus has become an ongoing and important part of everyday conversation, including a relevant topic in political discourse and for many advertisers in different sectors,” the memo further said.
Much like with its efforts to shift priority to authoritative sources across platforms, it seems the Big G aims to limit coronavirus ads only to a small number of companies it deems trustworthy. While that might seem all fine and dandy, authoritative sources can spread misinformation, too, as TechDirt has shown.
Who cares, though? There’s money to be made. Right?
Right?
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