ReferenceGoogle Ads disapproval
Copyrights
Google disapproves ads whose destination uses copyrighted content in a way that infringes copyright, including unauthorized streaming and copying sites and tools that remove copy protection. If you are authorized to use the content, apply for Google's certification. If you are not, remove the content from the destination or the ad, then save the ad so it is reviewed again.
At a glance
- Where it shows
- The Status column on the Ads & assets page, as Disapproved under this policy.
- What stops
- The flagged ad stops serving until the content is certified or removed.
- How serious
- Medium. Google says multiple disapproved ads can lead to suspension, and resubmitting without a valid DMCA counter-notification may end the account.
- How long
- Google says most reviews finish within one business day.
What it means
Google does not allow ads that infringe copyright. The policy covers three kinds of destination: sites or software that capture, copy or give access to copyrighted content without permission; sites or apps that distribute copyrighted content offline without permission; and tools that remove DRM or bypass technical protection, even when the intended use is legitimate.
Using copyrighted content in an ad is a separate case from those destinations. Google's page says that if you are authorized to use copyrighted content in your ads, you must be certified by Google first. Certification is a form, not an appeal.
What actually triggers it
A destination that streams or shares copyrighted material
The landing page or the linked site lets visitors stream, copy or download copyrighted content that is not licensed for that use.
A tool that removes copy protection
The advertised product strips DRM or otherwise bypasses technical protection, even for a legitimate purpose.
Copyrighted content used without certification
An ad or destination shows copyrighted material the business has no permission to use, and no certification is on file.
Fix it in this order
- Identify the flagged domain, YouTube channel or landing page that the disapproval names.
- Decide whether you own the content or are legally authorized to use it. If you are, apply for certification through the Google Ads Copyright Documentation Web Form. Each domain, including country-specific ones, needs its own certification.
- If you are not authorized, remove the copyrighted content from the destination, or point the ad to a page that does not use it.
- Edit the ad to remove the content, or, if the destination was updated, make a minor edit and save so the ad is reviewed again.
When to appeal
Use certification when the content is yours or licensed to you. Remove the content when it is not, because an appeal does not change a use that Google's page says is not allowed.
Do not resubmit an ad taken down for infringement without a valid DMCA counter-notification. Google's page says that may end the account under its repeat infringement policy.
Often confused with
Products sold under a brand's mark when they are not genuine. This one is about the content a destination uses and whether it is licensed, not about the goods themselves.