Which? response to new figures from Google on how many ads it blocked or removed in 2020

Rocio Concha, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Which?, said:

“People should be able to trust that the adverts they see online are legitimate, however our investigations have repeatedly uncovered examples of fraudsters targeting and exploiting consumers with fake and fraudulent content – often with devastating financial and emotional consequences for victims.

“While efforts to block and remove harmful ads are positive, there is much more that Google and other online platforms could be doing. They must take more effective measures to prevent scam content from reaching, and misleading, consumers in the first place, including verifying advertisers ahead of adverts being published.

“The government should include online scams within the scope of its proposed Online Safety Bill so that platforms are given legal responsibility for tackling the fake and fraudulent content appearing on their sites.”

Statement