Bangalore, April 23, 2025 — In a major enforcement move, Alphabet Inc.-owned Google suspended 2.9 million advertiser accounts and removed 247.4 million ads in India during 2024, citing violations of its advertising policies. The action is part of a broader global effort by the tech giant to safeguard the integrity of its digital advertising ecosystem.
SUMMARY
Alphabet-owned Google removed 247.4 million advertisements and suspended 2.9 million advertiser accounts in India last year for violating its advertising policies.
The suspensions were due to breaches involving financial services promotions, trademark misuse, abuse of the ad network, unauthorized personalized ads, and gambling or games-related content.
According to Google’s Annual Ads Safety Report, India accounted for a significant portion of global ad enforcement activity. The most common violations included misleading financial services promotions, misuse of trademarks, abuse of the ad network, unauthorized personalised ad practices, and content related to gambling and online gaming.
On the global front, Google reported:
5.1 billion ads removed
9.1 billion ads restricted
Over 39.2 million advertiser accounts suspended
The company highlighted the use of advanced artificial intelligence tools that allowed it to enforce policy at scale. In 2024, AI models helped Google review and enforce compliance on 97% of website pages, enabling faster detection of violations while ensuring monetization remained compliant with ad safety standards.
“Our policies are designed to support a safe and positive experience for users. We prohibit content that we believe is harmful to users and the advertising ecosystem,” Google stated.
Rising Regulatory Heat
The enforcement drive comes at a time when Google is under increasing regulatory scrutiny in India. Earlier this week, the Karnataka High Court ordered Google India and three senior executives to deposit 50% of penalties imposed by the Enforcement Directorate in a forex compliance case.
The company is also facing ongoing investigations by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for alleged abuse of dominance in the digital advertising and app store markets.
Simultaneously, India’s regulatory landscape is evolving rapidly. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) recently directed platforms including Google to remove content that could facilitate offences under the Telecommunications Act, 2023. In parallel, the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) requires digital platforms to publish monthly compliance reports under the IT Rules, 2021.
Market Impact and Industry Trends
Google’s actions mirror similar enforcement efforts across the tech sector. In August 2024, Meta-owned WhatsApp blocked over 8.4 million Indian accounts, citing terms of service violations and directives from the Grievance Appellate Committee.
As digital advertising continues to grow in India—already one of Google’s largest markets—maintaining trust and compliance is becoming a key focus area. These developments underscore the mounting pressure on tech platforms to adhere to both internal policies and evolving regulatory expectations.