Abolaji Adebayo 
No fewer than 5.1 billion ads were blocked on Google’s platform in 2024, while another 9.1 billion were restricted. Over 39 million advertiser accounts were also suspended, according to Google’s 2024 Ads Safety Report released on Wednesday.
The report highlighted the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enabling Google to take such decisive action.
It explained how advanced AI is transforming the fight against bad ads, scams, and misinformation online. As scams become more sophisticated—often impersonating public figures or using AI-generated content—new tools are helping stop harmful ads before they reach users.
Google noted that AI models powered by Gemini enabled faster and smarter detection of fraud signals such as stolen payment methods, fake business identities, and coordinated scam networks.
This shift toward proactive prevention, the company said, comes at a critical time.
Across Africa and other regions, users are navigating a rapidly evolving digital environment where trust, safety, and transparency are more important than ever. In Nigeria, scams involving impersonation of public figures and misleading election ads have become increasingly common.
“That’s why, in 2024, Google updated its Misrepresentation Policy, assembled a global team of over 100 experts, and took down over 700,000 scam-related advertiser accounts—contributing to a 90% drop in reported impersonation scams,” said Alex Rodriguez, General Manager for Ads Safety at Google.
Rodriguez added that with nearly half the world’s population heading to the polls in 2024, Google expanded its election ad transparency policy by requiring all political advertisers to verify their identities and clearly disclose who is paying for each message.
“More than 10 million election-related ads were removed globally for failing to meet these standards,” he revealed.
“While these are global figures, their local impact is deeply personal. From the business owner trying to reach new customers online to the everyday user trying to avoid a phishing scam, online safety remains essential for an open, trustworthy web. In Nigeria and across the continent, safe advertising also helps protect livelihoods, ensuring that small businesses, creators, and publishers can continue to benefit from a free and accessible internet.”
Rodriguez disclosed that over 50 enhancements were launched to Google’s AI models in 2024. “These improvements helped us move faster, identify threats earlier, and take action before bad actors could reach users. That’s the real power of AI—making the internet safer not just reactively, but proactively,” he said.
While challenges persist, the report emphasised that AI is improving both the speed and scale of enforcement, freeing up human reviewers to focus on complex, high-impact investigations.
Google said it continues to collaborate with regulators, consumer protection agencies, and industry partners, such as the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, to stay ahead of emerging threats.
The 2024 Ads Safety Report offers a glimpse into the systems working behind the scenes to keep billions of people safe online. For small business owners, web users, and digital creators across Africa, the company noted, online safety is not just a technical issue—it’s foundational.
