Oct 25, V7N- Civil society groups urged Google on Thursday to strictly enforce its policy against monetizing environmental disinformation, highlighting ongoing issues with ads appearing alongside climate denial content despite the company's previous commitments. The open letter, addressed to Google CEO Sundar Pichai and supported by thousands, follows a surge in misinformation amid recent hurricanes in the U.S. and in anticipation of the upcoming UN COP29 climate summit.

In 2021, Google established a policy prohibiting ads next to content that denies climate change's existence and causes, aiming to prevent disinformation sources from profiting on its platforms, including YouTube. However, the letter from a coalition of groups, including the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Center for Countering Digital Hate, claims that these ads continue to appear.

The letter states, "We are urging Google to enforce the policy thoroughly and immediately to ensure it is credible, as we see climate change adversely affecting communities right now." Although Google has taken action against certain organizations like the Heartland Institute, watchdogs have reported that ads remain alongside misleading climate content on YouTube. The letter calls for the "immediate and permanent demonetization" of the Heartland Institute and other entities that promote climate disinformation.

Nonprofit watchdog Check My Ads noted in a recent report that ad exchanges have enabled three conservative websites, including The Epoch Times, to profit from climate denial. Another investigation by Global Witness estimated that The Epoch Times generated approximately $1.5 million in revenue from Google and website owners over the past year.

Furthermore, YouTube has been criticized for monetizing climate denial content from influencers linked to a Russian influence campaign, as reported by Friends of the Earth. The letter asserts, "Google ads are directly contributing to the spread of outright lies about our planet's changing climate -- with dire impacts."

Google has not yet responded to requests for comment. The organizations that signed the letter have sought a meeting with Google's trust and safety team to discuss the policy violations and are awaiting a response.

The timing of the letter coincides with recent hurricanes that have disrupted communities and led to misinformation that officials claim hindered relief efforts. The COP29 summit, scheduled to start on November 11 in Azerbaijan, aims to bring together nearly 200 nations to discuss financial assistance for developing countries affected by climate change.

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