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                    "Why is Google still serving dodgy ads?\n          \n        \n        \n          \n           read\n          \n          \n          \n          \n\n\n\n\n          \n          \n            \n                HELP SUPPORT MY WORK: If you're feeling flush then please stop by Patreon Or you can make a one off donation via ko-fi\n              \n            \n            \n            \n            \n            TLDR:\n\nAI is really good at detecting deceptive adverts - why isn\u2019t Google using it?\n\nA couple of months ago I noticed this advert popping up in the YouTube app. The main reason I noticed it is that I accidentally clicked it - I knew I was running out of space on my iPhone and a minor lapse of concentration caught me out.\n\n\n\nThese things can slip through even the best review processes, so I did my internet duty and reported the advert.\n\nThe response I got back was less than satisfactory:\n\n\n\nAgain, sometimes things slip through the net and people don\u2019t always check things properly, so I reported it again. And got the same response.\n\nIn fact, multiple people have reported this advert and received the same:\n\n\n  We found that the ad doesn\u2019t go against Google\u2019s policies, which prohibit certain content and practices that we believe to be harmful to users and the overall online ecosystem.\n\n\nI\u2019m a big fan of Hanlon\u2019s razor.\n\n\n  Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity\n\n\nHowever, if you were being uncharitable, you do have to question whether it\u2019s in Google\u2019s interest to remove adverts that get lots of clicks. After all, these adverts are probably performing well and bringing in lots of lovely \ud83e\udd11.\n\nA simpler explanation is that the people reviewing adverts cannot properly review everything so things get missed.\n\nYou can\u2019t help thinking that AI should come to the rescue here. Given Google has some pretty good models - surely it can put them to use?\n\nHere\u2019s what Google\u2019s Gemini has to say about the advert:\n\n\n\nClassification: DISAPPROVED\n\nPolicy Violations:\n\n\n  Misrepresentation: Misleading Ad Design\n  Misrepresentation: Unreliable / Deceptive Claims\n\n\nDetailed Reasons for Disapproval\n\n\n\n\n  The Violation: Google Ads policy strictly prohibits advertisements that imitate operating system dialogs, system warnings, error messages, or interactive system notifications.\n  The Evidence: The banner embedded inside the ad explicitly mimics an iOS system alert modal (\u201ciPhone Storage is Full\u201d) complete with standard iOS typography, container styling, and mock system buttons (\u201cYes\u201d / \u201cNo\u201d). This trick visually deceives users into believing their device is throwing a native system-level alert, coercing them to click.\n\n\n2. Non-Functional / Deceptive UI Components\n\n\n  The Violation: Ads cannot feature non-functional or misleading interactive elements, such as fake dialog options, false close buttons, or radio choices that do not perform their implied system function.\n  The Evidence: The \u201cYes\u201d and \u201cNo\u201d options inside the graphic image are static visuals designed to capture clicks anywhere on the ad banner to trigger a store/landing page redirect, rather than acting as true system controls.\n\n\n3. Deceptive Fear-Based Tactics & Unverified Claims\n\n\n  The Violation: Advertising policies forbid using deceptive claims or scare tactics to induce panic and force immediate user action.\n  The Evidence: Stating \u201cIf you don\u2019t free up space soon, some features may not work properly\u201d inside a fake system popup fabricates a urgent state of failure on the user\u2019s personal device, misleading them about their hardware status to drive app installs.\n\n\nRequired Action\n\nDisapprove the ad creative immediately. Issue a policy violation warning/disapproval flag to the advertiser account under Misrepresentation (Misleading Ad Design). Repeated violations of this nature may result in full account suspension for deceptive practices.\n\n\n\nGoogle\u2019s own model rejects the ad in seconds, yet Google\u2019s review process approved it twice.\n\nCome on, meatbags - use some of the amazing AI tools you have access to.\n\n            \n            \n            \n            \n            \n                HELP SUPPORT MY WORK: If you're feeling flush then please stop by Patreon Or you can make a one off donation via ko-fi\n              \n            \n          \n          \n        \n        \n        \n          \n            Written by\n            \n              \n              Chris Greening\n              \n              \n              Published 13 Sep 2026\n            \n          \n          \n          \n            Supported by"
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