AT&T Pulling Ads From Google Over 'Hate' Videos
March 22 2017 - 1:50PM
Dow Jones News
By Jack Nicas
AT&T Inc. said on Wednesday it is pulling much of its
advertising from Google over concerns that its ads may have run
alongside controversial videos, extending the financial impact of a
controversy that was once just a public-relations issue for
Google.
AT&T said that it is suspending all of its advertising
spending on Google except for search. That means AT&T is
pulling all ads from Google's YouTube site and the more than 2
million third-party websites in Google's advertising network.
"We are deeply concerned that our ads may have appeared
alongside YouTube content promoting terrorism and hate," AT&T
said. "Until Google can ensure this won't happen again, we are
removing our ads from Google's non-search platforms."
A Google spokeswoman said the company doesn't comment on
specific clients.
AT&T is the largest company yet to reduce its spending on
Google following reports that it placed brands' ads on YouTube
videos supporting terrorism.
Other companies, including HSBC Holdings PLC, Royal Bank of
Scotland Group PLC, L'Oréal SA and Volkswagen AG's Audi have all
reduced spending on Google advertising over the past several days
in response to the controversy.
Google has apologized to marketers for any cases in which their
ads appeared next to inappropriate content. On Tuesday, the company
unveiled changes to its ad policies and enforcement designed to
prevent such cases.
AT&T is positioning itself as a budding competitor to Google
as an advertising platform, pitching its proposed merger with Time
Warner Inc. as a defense against Google's growing power in the
industry.
Write to Jack Nicas at jack.nicas@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 22, 2017 14:35 ET (18:35 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
AT&T (NYSE:T)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2024 to May 2024
AT&T (NYSE:T)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2023 to May 2024