Google has announced that they are banning all bond bail services from utilising their ad platform, including AdWords search ads. Google said they are “announcing a new policy to prohibit ads that promote bail bond services from our platforms.” The prohibition is based on a study which stated that these services mostly swindle their revenue from colored communities and low-income neighborhoods since they are most vulnerable, including opaque financing offers that can keep people in debt for years or months.
Google made this decision based on their commitment to protect users from deceptive or harmful products. However, the issue of bail bond reform has drawn support from different organizations like Essie Justice Group, Koch Industries, Color of Change who have shared their work and perspectives with Google to reform Google’s criminal justice system for many years.
Gina Clayton, executive director of Essie Justice Group, stated “This is the largest step any corporation has taken on behalf of the millions of women who have loved ones in jails across this country. Google’s new policy is a call to action for all those in the private sector who profit off of mass incarceration. It is time to say ‘no more’.” Enforcement of this policy will begin in July 2018.
This policy change is part of our ongoing efforts to protect users on our platforms.”
The enforcement of this policy will start in July 2018. This change in policy is part of Google’s ongoing efforts to protect users on its platforms.
