Climate change is real and Google will not tolerate ads content saying otherwise

Google has updated its ads and monetization policies and will now prohibit the listing of any ad or content on its platforms that denies the existence of climate change or its effects. The move is in line with the tech major's constant endeavour towards sustainable development and the prevention of misinformation on its platforms.

In its effort to fight climate change, Google will now ensure that only the right information is spread through its ad platforms. For this, the tech major has updated its monetization policy and will now weed out any misinformation spread through the ads run by it.

The update has been made public by Google on Thursday and marks a major change to Google's content monetization policy. It will be brought to effect starting this December 6, post which Google will evaluate such content around climate change. It will try to differentiate between ads that spread misinformation around the environmental impacts of human activities and those that discuss such false claims.

If a particular ad is found to be doing the former, Google will prohibit its listing on its ad platforms. In short, any content that makes claims about climate change that are not true, or are contrary to scientific consensus, will be prohibited by Google. This will effectively stop companies from running any ads that undermine the presence and effects of climate change.

Other than the ad campaigns, Google will also extend this policy to the content shown on its platforms. Thus, content creators on Google platforms will not be able to make money from any such content that goes against the proven effects of climate change. Examples of such content include those deeming climate change as a hoax or a scam or that it is simply not a true phenomenon. Posts stating that humans don't have an impact on climate change will also be marked under this policy.

Since it is a proven fact that humans have had a major impact on Earth's climate for the past few centuries, it is high time theories stating otherwise are nipped in the bud. While freedom of speech is one thing, spreading misinformation on such grounds through platforms like those of Google's is becoming easier day by day in the digital age, helping miscreants misguide the general public away from the truth.

As a result of such content, many viewers actually make up a notion in their minds that climate change is just a hoax. When in reality, people across the Earth should be aware of the detrimental effects of climate change and how their everyday actions could increase or prevent it.

The new decision by Google is just another move by the tech giant to help prevent the spread of misinformation through its channels. Last year, this focus was on preventing the spread of misinformation around Covid-19 and its vaccines. It is high time that environmental know-how is given the same level of importance, especially as the global population starts many activities afresh after the pandemic.