Security News > 2020 > April > Google 'Task Force' Fights Bad COVID-19 Ads

Google said Thursday its task force devoted to fighting "Bad" ads hawking bogus coronavirus cures, illegitimate unemployment benefits and overpriced medical supplies had blocked tens of millions of messages.

Google has blocked and removed coronavirus-related marketing pitches in recent months for policy violations including price-gouging and misleading claims, according to ads privacy and safety vice president Scott Spencer.

"We have a dedicated COVID-19 task force working around the clock building new detection technology and improving our existing enforcement systems to stop bad actors," Spencer said in a blog post.

Google last year blocked and removed 2.7 billion "Bad ads" and suspended nearly a million advertising accounts for policy violations, according to Spencer.

Google blocked more than 35 million phishing ads and 19 million "Trick-to-click" ads last year, according to the company.

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