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Wireless carriers Verizon and AT&T said on Wednesday they
would suspend digital ads on YouTube, joining a list of
well-known British brands such as retailer Marks and Spencer
Group Plcdeserting Alphabet Inc's <GOOGL.O> Google.
Google has come under intense scrutiny for ads appearing
alongside videos on YouTube carrying homophobic or anti-Semitic
messages. The company on Tuesday vowed an overhaul of its
practices.
Control over online ad placement has become a hot button for
advertisers, with social networks and news aggregators coming
under fire during and after the U.S. presidential election for
spreading so-called fake news reports.
Advertisers have also sought to avoid having their brands appear
beside content that they categorize as hate speech.
J&J said on Thursday it wanted to ensure that its product
advertising did not appear on channels that promote "offensive
content." (http://bit.ly/2nqZNJD)
YouTube has been a key driver of growth for Google as its
traditional business of search advertising matures. Google's net
ad revenue worldwide from YouTube was $5.58 billion last year,
according to New York-based research firm eMarketer.
YouTube was not immediately available for comment.
(Reporting by Natalie Grover in Bengaluru; Editing by Sai Sachin
Ravikumar and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)
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