Google Sets Limits on Addiction Treatment Ads, Citing Safety - The New York Times

In other better-late-than-never news, see Fearing Anti-Semitic Speech, Facebook Limits Audience Targeting (NYT); in another digital dilemma, also see Google and Facebook Fret Over Anti-Prostitution Bill’s Fallout (Bloomberg)

"This week, Google acknowledged the problem — and started restricting ads that come up when someone searches for addiction treatment on its site. “We found a number of misleading experiences among rehabilitation treatment centers that led to our decision,” Google spokeswoman Elisa Greene said in a statement on Thursday.

Google has taken similar steps to restrict advertisements only a few times before. Last year it limited ads for payday lenders, and in the past it created a verification system for locksmiths to prevent fraud.

In this case, the restrictions will limit a popular marketing tool in the $35 billion addiction treatment business, affecting thousands of small-time operators."

Google Sets Limits on Addiction Treatment Ads, Citing Safety - The New York Times