Google will prohibit political advertising during Canada's 2019 federal election campaign, following the implementation of Bill C-76, a transparency law passed in December 2018. The legislation mandates online platforms to maintain a registry of all political and partisan advertisements they publish.
Colin McKay, Google Canada's head of public policy, stated, "For the duration of the 2019 federal election campaign, Google will not accept advertising regulated by Bill C-76." The company emphasized its focus on supporting Canadian news literacy initiatives and providing access to election-related information.
The Canadian federal election is scheduled for October 2019. Google will adjust its ad policies to block content falling under Bill C-76's definitions, though services like YouTube and search results will remain operational during the campaign period.
The Globe and Mail first reported the development.
