Google is banning porn from its AdWords platform

Google is getting out of the porn advertising business. The changes, which went into effect late Monday, prohibit any promotion of most sexually themed sites, specifically those that feature “graphic sexual acts with intent to arouse including sex acts such as masturbation.” A company spokesperson noted that Google has long had restrictive policies on its adult category for some time and expected many advertisers had already looked to other advertising venues. Industry insiders, though, tell a different story. “I was caught by surprise,” says Theo Sapoutzis, chairman and CEO of AVN Media Network. “I was one of the very first advertisers for AdWords back in 2002. It’s something that’s been [untouched] for 12 years, so you don’t expect change is going to start happening.” Notification of the policy change came in an email, sent to companies that were positioned to be in violation of the new policy earlier in June, which read: “Beginning in the coming weeks, we’ll no longer accept ads that promote graphic depictions of sexual acts including, but not limited to, hardcore pornography; graphic sexual acts including sex acts such as masturbation; genital, anal, and oral sexual activity.”