Can your video be blocked from advertising on YouTube even if it contains nothing inappropriate? Unfortunately, yes — and here’s a real example that should concern all video promoters and creators who work honestly and professionally.
I recently promoted a music video via Google Ads on behalf of one of my clients. The video was completely innocent: no weapons, no nudity, no smoking, and no vulgar gestures. Just a song with a touch of street energy — nothing more, nothing less.
Yet the ad was disapproved for violating the “Inappropriate content” policy.
I reached out to Google Ads support for clarification. Here’s what happened.
First Email from Google Ads (translated)
Hello Andrea,
Thanks for your patience. We reviewed the video titled “[Video Title Hidden]” again, especially the timestamps 0:02, 0:13, 0:25, and 1:07. Based on our analysis, the ad was disapproved due to:
Visual representations of firearms, such as finger gun gestures
People smoking or appearing to smoke
Vulgar or offensive gestures
These elements fall under our “Inappropriate content” policy.
Best regards,
Maxwell
gTech Customer Experience
My Response
I reviewed all the timestamps indicated and none of those things were present. No smoking, no weapons, no vulgar gestures. I also took screenshots (attached in my email) showing the absence of the alleged violations.
I wrote:
“This evaluation appears profoundly incorrect and unsupported by objective evidence. Continuing to claim otherwise undermines the credibility of the entire review process.”
Google’s Second Response (after realizing their mistake)
Hello Andrea,
First of all, I sincerely apologize for the confusion in my previous email. The initial review referred to a different video. Thank you for helping us clarify.
After reevaluating the correct video, titled “[Video Title Hidden],” our team has confirmed that the ad is still correctly labeled as “inappropriate” — not because of visuals, but due to offensive language in the audio.
For reference, YouTube Ads does not allow:
Profanity, even if censored
Recognizable slurs or vulgar terms like “fuck”, “bitch”, “shit”, etc.
Lip-readable or implied vulgarities
If you upload a new version of the video with the offensive language removed or completely silenced, we’d be happy to review it again.
The Problem
I am not the artist — I am the promoter. And the artist shouldn’t be forced to alter their lyrics just to please a censorship machine. We’re not in a dictatorship, and Google’s puritanical guidelines are outdated and repressive.
This isn’t just about this one case. It’s about how arbitrariness and inconsistency in Google Ads review system really affects honest creators. If a video like this can be flagged and blocked, what’s to stop the same from happening to any other honest creator?
Final Thoughts
This case has already been shared with external digital rights organizations, and the error in the first review has become public. Google’s delayed correction only makes their system look even more incompetent.
Google doesn’t need to apologize to me — they should answer to the entire creative community. Creators looking to grow their audience may explore alternative YouTube promotion strategies beyond paid advertising.
Help Us Hold Them Accountable
Have you experienced similar injustices from YouTube Ads or other platforms?
Share your story in the comments or contact us.
Let’s make the digital world fairer — together.
