Lies, Damn Lies and Ads
Google bringing ethics to ads - by banning advertisements that deny climate change, Google is taking a big step towards bringing an expanded sense of right and wrong to advertising. However, it is also effectively proclaiming itself as an arbiter of "Truth". While most scientists agree on the realities of climate change, it is obviously still a contested issue politically.
This move raises additional questions about what other "Truths" Google shall seek to arbitrate. Health claims of supplements and other health & wellness products is one possibility, the money-making potential of certain investments or investment platforms is another. While this certainly has the potential to have a positive impact in fighting misinformation and fake news, it feels like a slippery slope both from a social / public good perspective and from a business perspective for Google - does it create the precedent / expectation that Google polices all ads for truthiness? If I make a purchase based on a Ad supported by Google and the claims turn out to be false, can I now sue Google?
As a digital marketer, we know the expectations are high for the ethical validity and truth in the content we put forth. Now the gauntlet has been thrown to the less ethical among us and challenged us to do better, to be better.
Now we wait and see. Will history judge Google as sage or folly?
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