Google has been hit by another blow, after the advertising controversy it faced in the UK has now spread to the US market. In mid-March, it became apparent to multiple UK brands that Google's advertising platform was positioning their ads beside YouTube videos promoting extremist views. Several high-profile brands ceased advertising on the platform, including Audi, Sky and Vodafone, after their ads were found to be generating profits for extremist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan. Now, US firms such as AT&T and GSK have followed suit, saying that until “Google can ensure this won't happen again”, all ads would be removed. Following the development, Google said that it had started an “extensive review” of its advertising policies, adding that it had “made a public commitment to put in place changes that give brands more control over where their ads appear”. Google's advertising platforms earnt the company 90% of its total income in 2016, a total of 80 billion US dollars.
