Google users in the United States could start seeing ads for certain gun accessories in Search this October, under a six-month test announced by the company. The pilot includes products such as sights, bipods, slings, mounts and braces. Google says the ads will remain prohibited on its other surfaces and outside the US.
Google published the notice on September 21. Barry Schwartz covered it for Search Engine Roundtable the following day, ahead of the planned October start.
Users will have an opt-out
Google says people who prefer not to see these ads will be able to opt out and manage their preferences through My Ad Center. The announcement does not give an exact launch date or show the controls for this category.
Firearms, ammunition and regulated parts remain prohibited. The exclusions also cover accessories requiring a permit or licence, or regulated at state or federal level.
Google is changing which accessories qualify
Google’s existing policy already permits ads for safety equipment such as gun locks and trigger locks. It explicitly lists bipods and sights among its prohibited examples, however. Both appear in the October pilot announcement.
That comparison shows where Google is loosening its rules: selected products previously excluded because they support or enhance a gun’s functionality. For advertisers, the distinction is product-specific. A retailer selling both safety equipment and other accessories cannot treat the pilot as permission to advertise its entire catalogue.
Source: SER
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