Alphabet Inc’s Google said it would introduce new political advertising rules in Europe before the spring European Union elections, according to a Bloomberg report cited on Wednesday.
The company’s plan would require advertisers to apply for verification before paying for political ads. The move is aimed at giving regulators and the public more visibility into who is buying election-related advertising.
Google also plans to publish an EU transparency report and a searchable ad library. Bloomberg reported that the tools would show who purchased election ads, how much was spent, and which audiences were targeted.
Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The announcement comes after the European Commission said in September that Facebook Inc, Google and other technology companies had agreed to a code of conduct intended to curb fake news, amid concerns over election interference.
Public ad databases created by Facebook and Google before U.S. elections have already given the public a wider view of how quickly the companies remove ads that violate their rules.
Reporting by Akanksha Rana in Bengaluru; Editing by Leslie Adler
