Google to make verification mandatory for all advertisers

Alphabet Inc's Google said on Thursday all advertisers would have to complete a verification process before buying ad space on its platform, starting this summer, in a bid to make its ad practices more transparent.

Advertisers will need to submit personal identification and business incorporation documents that prove who they are and the country in which they operate in, the company said in a blog post.

Google until now required identity verification only for political advertisers running election ads on its platform.

A verification process is also often used to filter out low-quality advertisers, such as ones that have sought to sell fake medical masks during the coronavirus pandemic.

The company said it would start by verifying advertisers in phases in the United States and continue to expand globally, and that it expects the process to take a few years to complete.

Google said users will be able to view information about the advertiser behind the ads they see beginning this summer.