Google has released its 2024 Ads Safety Report, and the message is clear: accountability is scaling fast thanks to AI.
With billions of ads removed and millions of accounts suspended, the report paints a picture of an advertising ecosystem under tighter scrutiny than ever.
For marketers, especially those managing significant media budgets, these shifts aren’t just background noise.
They directly impact strategy, spend efficiency, and brand safety. Here’s a closer look at the biggest takeaways and how marketers should respond.
A Record-Setting Year in Ad Removals and Account Suspensions
Google removed 5.1 billion ads in 2024, up slightly from the previous year.
The real eye-opener was the surge in account suspensions. Over 39 million advertiser accounts were shut down, more than triple the number from 2023.
That figure tells us two things:
- Enforcement is no longer just about the ads themselves.
- Google is focusing upstream, stopping abuse at the account level before it can scale.
In addition to individual ad removals, 9.1 billion ads were restricted (meaning they were limited in where and how they could serve). Google also took action on over 1.3 billion publisher pages and issued site-level enforcements across 220,000 sites in the ad network.
Whether you’re running Search, Display, or YouTube campaigns, this scale of enforcement can influence delivery, reach, and trust signals in subtle ways.
AI is Doing the Heavy Lifting
The scale of these removals wouldn’t be possible without automation. In 2024, Google leaned heavily on AI, introducing over 50 improvements to its large language models (LLMs) for ad safety.
One notable example: Google is now using AI to detect patterns in illegitimate payment information during account setup. This enables enforcement to occur before an ad even goes live.
And as concerns around deepfakes and impersonation scams continue to grow, Google formed a specialized team to target AI-generated fraud. They focused on content that mimicked public figures, brands, and voices.
The result? Over 700,000 advertiser accounts were permanently disabled under updated misrepresentation rules, and reports of impersonation scams dropped by 90%.
AI isn’t just a marketing tool anymore. It’s a core part of how ad platforms decide what gets to run.
A Shift in Ad Policy That Marketer’s Shouldn’t Overlook
One of the more under-the-radar updates was a policy change made in April 2025 to Google’s long-standing Unfair Advantage rules.
Previously, the policy limited a single advertiser from having more than one ad appear in a given results page auction. But the update now allows the same brand to serve multiple ads on the same search page, as long as they appear in different placements.
This creates both opportunity and risk. Larger brands with multiple Google Ads accounts or aggressive agency strategies can now gain more real estate.
For smaller brands or advertisers with limited budgets, this may lead to increased competition for top spots and inflated CPCs.
Even though this change is meant to address transparency and competition, it could cause performance swings in high-intent keyword auctions.
It’s the kind of change that may not be immediately obvious in your dashboard but can quietly reshape performance over time.
What Advertisers Should Keep in Mind Moving Forward
Staying compliant isn’t just about avoiding policy violations.
It’s now about being proactive with AI and understanding how enforcement impacts delivery.
Here are a few ways to stay ahead:
1. Know your ad strength tools, but don’t rely on them blindly
AI is behind many of Google’s enforcement and performance scoring systems, including Ad Strength and Asset Diagnostics. These are helpful tools, but they’re not guarantees of policy compliance.
Always cross-check new ad formats or copy variants against the most recent policy updates.
2. Double-check account structures if you’re running multiple brands or regions.
With the rise in multi-account suspensions, it’s more important than ever to document relationships between brands, resellers, and advertisers.
Google’s systems are increasingly adept at pattern recognition, and even unintentional overlap could flag your account.
3. Be careful with impersonation-style creative or influencer tie-ins
If you’re featuring people in ads (especially public figures), ensure that the usage rights are clear.
AI-generated content that resembles celebrities or influencers, even if satirical, could trip enforcement filters.
When in doubt, opt for original or clearly branded creative.
4. Review how recent policy changes could affect your real estate in search results
Marketers should test how often their brand appears on a single search page now that the Unfair Advantage update allows more flexibility.
Use tools like Ad Preview and multi-account diagnostics to understand if your visibility is shifting.
Wrapping It Up
Google’s latest Ads Safety Report is a reminder that digital advertising is becoming more regulated, more automated, and more tied to platform-defined trust.
Google’s tolerance for risk is dropping fast. And enforcement isn’t just about bad actors anymore. It’s about building an ecosystem where consumers trust what they see.
Marketers who pay attention to these shifts, stay flexible, and put transparency front and center will be in a stronger position. Those who assume “business as usual” are more at risk to be caught off guard.
Don’t wait for a suspension notice to rethink your ads strategy.
Have you noticed any account changes as a result of Google’s ad safety updates?
