Google is updating its Google Ads Misrepresentation – Misleading Ad Design policy to have stronger and clearer enforcement over ads that use buttons that are deceptive and unclear. Google wrote, “ads that make it difficult for the user to understand they are interacting with an ad by using standalone buttons in image ads that lack clear context explaining their function, or whose prominence relative to the surrounding ad content is disproportionate, are restricted.”
We’ve all seen these types of ads, at least, I think that is what Google is describing with this updated policy. Here is one example I quickly spotted on Reddit from years ago:
You’ve probably all run into these, where you need to click download or another button but there are ads with similar buttons right next to it. So it is hard to know which is the ad and which is the button you want to click on.
I think Ad Exchanger called this the play button sham.
That being said, Google said:
On January 23, 2025, the Google Ads Misrepresentation – Misleading Ad Design policy will be updated to clarify that ads that make it difficult for the user to understand they are interacting with an ad by using standalone buttons in image ads that lack clear context explaining their function, or whose prominence relative to the surrounding ad content is disproportionate, are restricted.
We will begin enforcing the policy clarification on January 23, 2025, with full enforcement ramping up over approximately 8 weeks.
So this won’t go into effect until January 23, 2025 and then full enforcement won’t happen until March 23, 2025.
Violations of this policy will not lead to immediate account suspension without prior warning. A warning will be issued, at least 7 days, prior to any suspension of your account, so this enforcement might be weaker than some others.
Forum discussion at X.