Google isn't interested in porn ads any more, thank you very much.

 

On Monday, the company started to ban most adult sites from using the Google AdWords network. 

 

The company sent out an e-mail warning advertisers of the change back in June. "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," the company wrote.

 

"I was caught by surprise," Theo Sapoutzis, chairman and CEO of AVN Media Network, said. "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."

 

"There are many people who say the biggest losers are the ones who play by the rules," added Tom Hymes, senior editor at industry trade publication AVN. "The winners are the huge properties with a lot of free content and frequent updates—the type of actions the Google algorithms really like. But at the end of the day, there are some people out there who have been abiding by every [rule] that Google sets and they're getting cut off at the knees now."

 

Could this be the start of something bigger? Will Google do more to stop the promotion of porn?

 

"This is another example of a mainstream company turning its back on the industry that has supported it," said attorney Michael Fattorosi. "The question now becomes: Will they block adult content from their search results?"

 

Instagram has banned adult content, and PayPal recently closed the accounts of several porn stars. Although it's unlikely Google would ban adult sites from its regular search results, there could be a day when the only porn friendly spot on the Internet will be BananaGuide!

 

 

Google Bans Porn Ads From Search Results [TIME]

 

Google Bans Porn From Its Ad Network [NBC News]