YouTube to allow users to limit gambling and alcohol ads

Google, the parent company of YouTube, is adding a new control in ‘Ad Settings’ that will allow people to see limited alcohol and gambling-related ads on both Google and YouTube platforms.

The new settings appear in answer to “feedback that some people would favor limiting ads in certain categories,” YouTube said. This should be a welcome feature for users who may be sensitive to viewing alcohol use or gambling or are viewing to avoid those topics.

While Google has earlier let users hide particular ads, this change concerns ads category-wide. It’s also already had limitations on the categories based on age and national laws the difference lets users utilize those limits to themselves.

The settings for the two categories are separate, so if you’re precise with gambling ads but not alcohol ads, or vice versa, you can let one but not the other. It’s worth seeing that the feature only agrees to decrease the number of alcohol and gambling ads you’ll see, not exclude them entirely.

The feature will roll out in Ad Settings sequentially, starting with YouTube Ads in the US. The company announced in a statement on Thursday that it intends to introduce the update for Google Ads and YouTube globally in early 2021.

Online gambling advertising has grown substantially in recent years, pointing to concerns about its influence on children and young people.

This new feature will be open alongside a current feature that enables people to adjust personalized ads. It is to be seen that countries that already contain ads related to gambling, and alcohol will see no change.

“We’ve long had features similar Mute this ad, where people can show which ads they’d rather not see. These commands live alongside our policies which decide when and where gambling and alcohol ads can be shown per local laws age restrictions,” Google stated.

They further added, ”This new feature is an additional step, putting the choice in the user’s hands and allowing you to control your ad experience also”.

Google said that it is managing with the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) and its members, the leading beer, wine, and spirits producers, taking into account their expertise on rules for responsible alcohol advertising and marketing.

“IARD’s engagement with Google means users of the platform, beginning with YouTube, will have the option to see fewer alcohol ads. Our members are set to give people greater control over whether they see alcohol-related marketing online,” said Henry Ashworth, President, and CEO of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking.