Google Blocks 5.1 Billion Ads Globally, Blames Threats From Nigeria

In a sweeping global crackdown on harmful online content, Google says it blocked or removed 5.1 billion ads and restricted an additional 9.1 billion in 2024, highlighting increasing sophistication in digital scams, including persistent threats in Nigeria.

The announcement was made in the tech giant’s 2024 Ads Safety Report, released on Wednesday.

According to the report, the company also suspended over 39 million advertiser accounts worldwide—many of them before a single ad was shown.

The actions, Google said, were driven by growing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) to detect and pre-emptively stop deceptive content, from impersonation scams to coordinated misinformation campaigns.

“These improvements helped us move faster, identify threats earlier, and take action before bad actors could reach users,” said Alex Rodriguez, Google’s General Manager for Ads Safety. “That’s the real power of AI—making the internet safer not just reactively, but proactively.”

The company noted that with the digital ecosystem evolving rapidly across Africa and beyond, users are increasingly vulnerable to misinformation, scams, and unsafe content.

Nigeria, in particular, was flagged as one of the countries where Google has been forced to intervene aggressively. The company revealed that public figure impersonation scams and misleading election-related ads have become recurrent issues in the country.

To address this, Google updated its Misrepresentation policy in 2024 and formed a global task force of more than 100 experts to intensify scrutiny of scam-related content. These efforts led to the removal of over 700,000 scam-related advertiser accounts globally, resulting in a 90 per cent decline in reported impersonation scams.

The report also emphasized Google’s focus on protecting electoral integrity. With nearly half the world’s population expected to vote in 2024, the company expanded its political ad transparency program.

All political advertisers are now required to verify their identities and clearly disclose the funding source behind each campaign. More than 10 million election-related ads were taken down for failing to meet these standards.

Though the figures are global, the impact is being felt locally. For Nigeria’s fast-growing digital economy—reliant on online trust and secure transactions—Google’s actions provide a crucial layer of protection for businesses, content creators, and consumers.

The company stressed that safe advertising not only defends users but also ensures a fair environment for legitimate advertisers and publishers.

To scale its oversight while maintaining effectiveness, Google said it deployed over 50 enhancements to its AI models in 2024.

This allowed human teams to concentrate on high-risk investigations, while AI handled broader, automated threat detection.

Beyond technology, Google underscored the importance of collaboration in building a safer online space.

The company said it continues to work with regulators, industry peers, and consumer protection agencies, including through initiatives such as the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, to anticipate and address emerging threats.

“As online threats evolve, we remain committed to keeping users safe and ensuring the integrity of the digital advertising ecosystem,” Rodriguez added.

Google Blocks 5.1 Billion Ads Globally, Blames Threats From Nigeria is first published on The Whistler Newspaper