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Google Technology

Google ends year-long hiatus of drug rehab ads with strict vetting process

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By John Glenday, Reporter

April 17, 2018 | 2 min read

Google is reportedly ready to resume hosting ads placed by US addiction treatment centres in July, almost a year after it abruptly called an end to the sector amid fears over the high volume of deceptive ads being published.

Alphabet

Google ends year long hiatus of drug rehab ads with strict vetting process

According to figures compiled by Kantar Media, Alphabet is thought to have lost as much as $78m in annual ad revenue in the US alone following its decision to ban the category last September.

A lack of proper policing found that many such ads were taken over by scammers however, who were able to defraud vulnerable people seeking treatment for drug and alcohol addiction.

In an effort to avoid a return to past bad practice Google will require that all treatment centres wishing to run an ad must first have them vetted by LegitScript, which will run its own background checks and licensing verification among a checklist of 15 separate criteria.

Investors appear to have welcomed resumption of drug treatment ads with Alphabet shares rising 1% yesterday. In February Alphabet reported fourth quarter revenues of $32bn.

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