WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th January, 2021) Google suspended all political advertising after last week's attack on the US Capitol to avoid the incitement of more violence, a spokesperson told Sputnik in a statement on Wednesday.
The US House is expected to impeach President Donald Trump later in the day for inciting his supporters to storm Capitol Hill to prevent Congress from certifying the presidential election.
"Given the events of the past week, we will expand our Sensitive Event policy enforcement to temporarily pause all political ads in addition to any ads referencing impeachment, the inauguration, or protests at the US Capitol," the spokesperson said. "We have long-standing policies blocking content that incites violence or promotes hate and we will be extremely vigilant about enforcing on any ads that cross this line."
The spokesperson also said that Google "regularly pause ads over unpredictable, 'sensitive' events when ads can be used to exploit the event or amplify misleading information."
In a separate statement to advertisers, Google said it was planning to keep the policy in place until at least January 21 - a day after the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.
Google's decision to pause all political advertising came two days after most American companies suspended all political donations in the aftermath of the attack on the Capitol.
Five people, including a policeman on duty and a female air force veteran who supported Trump, died in the January 6 attack. Social media companies Twitter, Facebook and Google's YouTube have all suspended Trump from their platforms. The president, who leaves office in exactly a week, faced a second impeachment in Congress on Wednesday for inciting the riot, after his first impeachment in 2019 for inviting foreign interference in US elections. Trump has denied the charges.
