Google to Require All Advertisers to Identify Themselves

New requirement will help Alphabet unit crack down on digital ads purveying fake products and coronavirus misinformation

By Patience Haggin

PHOTO: LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES

Due to the corona virus pandemic, there has been a huge surge in fake online promotions of vaccines and various other misleading products.  To have control of the fake products and to hold advertisers accountable for truthful ads, Google is making it a requirement for advertisers to verify their identity.  

Although this process was already being implemented prior to the pandemic, this is intended to "help support the health of the digital advertising ecosystem by detecting bad actors and limiting their attempts to misrepresent themselves" said Google's director of product management for ads integrity, John Canfield.

Several measures in place to verify are IRS tax documents, government issued photo ID, address, and employer identification number.  Facebook has similar requirements and it's just a matter of checks and balances for all digital ad purchasers.  Advertisers will be contacted in phases and are given 30 days to complete the verification process.