Google earlier this month updated the terms and conditions for their massive ad network, Google AdWords. Google sent out emails to their advertisers saying "you're receiving this message because we’ve updated our Terms and Conditions, which impacts your AdWords account."
They then went ahead and documented some, I am sure, not all of the changes. They wrote:
- More flexibility to notify or inform advertisers via phone calls, text messages and emails.
- New provisions related to how products and features are tested within AdWords.
- In the U.S., Canada, and most countries in Latin America and Asia, a provision to use arbitration to resolve disputes rather than jury trials or class actions.* Follow the instructions in the dispute resolution section of the terms to opt out of this provision (U.S. and Brazil only).
- New provisions related to the disclosure of technical errors and bugs within AdWords.
- New data protection terms related to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other EU privacy frameworks.
Google added if you do not sign in and approve the new terms and conditions that your ads can be paused in 45 days from the email.
A WebmasterWorld thread is early on in analyzing what changed and how it impacts advertisers. GoodROI said the changes include "Google to test campaigns without notifying advertisers, disputes settled by binding arbitration, and blocks advertisers from joining class action lawsuits." All fun stuff you'd expect, right?
Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.
This post was scheduled to go live today but was written earlier - I am currently offline today.