What you need to know
- Google has stopped selling ads in Russia.
- The move comes in response to the continued invasion of Ukraine.
- Google has already banned state-funded media from buying or selling ads.
Google says it will stop selling ads in Russia in response to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the company stated Thursday.
A spokesperson for Google told iMore:
"In light of the extraordinary circumstances, we're pausing Google ads in Russia. The situation is evolving quickly, and we will continue to share updates when appropriate."
Google has already banned Russian state-sponsored media from buying or selling adverts on its platform but has been ordered by Russia's communications regulator to stop showing ads that contained "inaccurate information" about military casualties. It has also reportedly been ordered to stop showing YouTube ads with "false political information" about the war in Ukraine in them.
Many companies including Apple have sharply adjusted their operations in Russia following the invasion. Many banks no longer work with Apple Pay because of sanctions, and this week Apple announced that it was ceasing sales of its products in the country and de-platforming state-sponsored Russian media on the App Store.
Various Apple resellers remain open in the country but are fighting wild inflation and the impact of sanctions. Premium reseller reopened its stores this week after a temporary closure, with products like Apple's best iPhone, the iPhone 13, some 50% more expensive than they were last week.
