@tpoletti: Google’s YouTube ad controversy should scare investors

When is an “ad credit” actually a refund?  As Chris wrote on MusicTech.Solutions, Google advertisers should be entitled to refunds stretching back years for Google’s failure to live up to its promises to protect advertisers from their ads appearing in terror videos.

Many Wall Street analysts are trying to play down the continuing advertising controversy at Google’s YouTube, but Alphabet Inc. investors are likely jittery — and should be.

Last week, Google updated its ad policies and expanded safeguards for advertisersafter some pulled advertising from YouTube because the video streaming site was displaying ads next  to inappropriate content that espoused hate or even terrorism. Google said in a blog post that it has put in place more controls for advertisers, and it is also taking a tougher stance on hateful, offensive and derogatory content….

The bigger fear for investors is that an advertiser backlash could spread from YouTube to Google’s overall search business, or cast a pall over YouTube’s planned “skinny bundle” service. Since the story broke, Alphabet shares have fallen nearly 4%.

Google’s efforts to handle the situation are getting mixed reviews from investors who see cause for concern.

“Their public statements do not suggest to us that the company appreciates the degree to which advertisers are concerned and the continuing announcements of advertisers suspending their activity on Google properties reinforces our view,” Pivotal analyst Wieser wrote.

Trip Chowdhry, an analyst with Global Equities Research, predicted that Google will need to give out ad credits to lure back advertisers, which would also impact YouTube revenue.

Read the post on MarketWatch

@thetrichordist: Timely Reprint: Do You Want Your Music Alongside Hate Rock Songs? Artist Face YouTube Music Dilemma

In light of the Google/YouTube boycott by brands whose ads have appeared next to hate speech. We thought we’d reprint this piece from November 2014!! Forget exploitative pay from Spotify! Do you want your music on YouTube Music? Will you be alongside Hate rock songs? Jihadi Recruitment Music Videos? Probably. YouTube is full of this […]

via Timely Reprint: Do You Want Your Music Alongside Hate Rock Songs? Artist Face YouTube Music Dilemma — The Trichordist

@stevekovach: [Eric Schmidt] says there’s no way Google can guarantee ads won’t appear next to inappropriate content

[Editor Charlie sez: How can Schmidt do that with his mouth while eating his foot?]

Although improvements are being made, there’s no foolproof way for Google to guarantee a brand’s ads won’t appear against questionable content on YouTube and other sites that serve Google ads, according to a top executive at the company.

Eric Schmidt, the former Google CEO and current chairman of its parent company Alphabet, said in an interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox BusinessThursday that the company “can’t guarantee” ads will not appear against content its advertisers might find inappropriate.

Read the post on Business Insider