Google announces cancellation of AdSense accounts located in Russia
Google, part of Alphabet, announced Monday that it would no longer be able to pay customers of its ad service in Russia, canceling AdSense accounts there. AdSense allows website and video content owners, including on YouTube, to earn money from displaying ads run by Google.
Reason for canceling accounts in Russia
“Due to ongoing developments in Russia, we will no longer be able to make payments to Russia-based AdSense accounts that were able to continue to earn revenue from traffic outside of Russia, and as a result we will be deactivating these accounts as of August 2024,” a Google spokesperson said. According to the report, a message was previously sent to the remaining accounts notifying them of the move. “Your earnings for July will be disbursed around August 21-26, provided there are no active payment holds and you meet the minimum payment thresholds,” the message said.
Google did not specify the developments that led to this decision, but a decrease in YouTube speeds in Russia has been observed in recent weeks.
Tension between Russia and Google
According to the report, Russian lawmakers blame Google for the slowdown due to its failure to upgrade its equipment in the country since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, something the company and technology experts dispute.
Google has been under pressure in Russia for several years, particularly for not removing content that Moscow considers illegal. Now Russia is crippling YouTube, once a bastion of free expression online , as Russia has cracked down on independent Russian-language media. The US company stopped showing ads to users in Russia in March 2022 and stopped monetizing content that exploited, rejected or supported Russia’s war in Ukraine. It has blocked more than 1,000 YouTube channels, including state-sponsored news, and more than 5.5 million videos.
In March, Russia passed a law banning any advertising on publications, including YouTube channels, by “foreign agents,” a label authorities have given to anti-Kremlin politicians, activists and media outlets.
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