M&S suspends Google ads amid pressure over hate videos

Marks and Spencer has become the latest big name company to pull its advertising from Google as the internet giant faces pressure over extremist content on its YouTube platform. The high street retailer said it was “pausing activity” - adding to the list of commercial organisations that have already done so, as well as the Government. Global advertising giant Havas, which buys ad space for a number of big companies, suspended advertising last week. M&S said: “In order to ensure brand safety, we are pausing activity across Google platforms whilst the matter is worked through.” McDonald’s UK also said it had pulled ads through Google, saying it was “disappointed to learn” that safeguards it had “to protect against our adverts appearing alongside unacceptable content” had fallen through.

It is clearly unacceptable for ads to be appearing alongside inappropriate content and we are talking with Google to understand what they are doing to stop this

Sky, the owner of Sky News

What the firms are sayingSupermarket giant Tesco and high street banks Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC and Lloyds are among the brands taking a similar position, as is Audi UK.Other businesses including Barclays are considering what to do - though Barclays does not currently have any advertising on YouTube or Google.Sky, the owner of Sky News, said: “It is clearly unacceptable for ads to be appearing alongside inappropriate content and we are talking with Google to understand what they are doing to stop this.”

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