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Google can reply and confirm whether or not a report did anything? I’ve never seen that. I report ads on YouTube all the time. I’ve reported ads for illegal dr

Google can reply and confirm whether or not a report did anything? I’ve never seen that. I report ads on YouTube all the time. I’ve reported ads for illegal drugs, illegal firearms, pornography, and all sorts of various scams. I’ve seen similar advertising to the example in this article, mimicking the phone’s UI. Ive reported them. I’ve never once seen Google reply to any of my reports to confirm what happened. I’ve always wondered, and since I continue to see the ads I just assume my reports go straight into a trash bin. The illegal firearm ad I saw (more than a year ago, now) I was so shocked that I took screenshots and reported it multiple times. The ad advertised that the weapon was “easy to sneak through security” and “didn’t require an id to purchase” I saw the ad several times across multiple weeks. I reported it every time. I don’t think Google ever did anything about it. If they did, it took them weeks

repeekad 20d ago
There is am extremely pervasive trick where bots repost trending comments rewritten in AI very early in videos and boost their bot comments above the original, then if a bot lands a top comment the profile is suddenly switched to porn/scam links with a female model as the profile picture. It's so common and so clearly reported by many people that I'm left to assume Google likes the engagement the profiles bring and chooses to leave them up.
vintermann 20d ago
I can recall one time I got feedback from Google that an ad had indeed been taken down, that was an Ukrainian women dating ad in Gmail which was not subtle at all about offering trafficked women. But that's some time ago.
stevage 20d ago
Why do you keep reporting them, when clearly that does nothing? And since, as this article points out, Google does not need reports if they actually wanted to block such ads, it seems completely pointless.
- nubinetwork 20d ago
  > Why do you keep reporting them, when clearly that does nothing? Because some of us don't want to give in to the dead internet theory yet.
hobo123 19d ago
Maybe reporting is the right idea, but Google the wrong target to complain to. Maybe we should report obvious fraud or illegal content to the authorities.

repeekad 20d ago

There is am extremely pervasive trick where bots repost trending comments rewritten in AI very early in videos and boost their bot comments above the original, then if a bot lands a top comment the profile is suddenly switched to porn/scam links with a female model as the profile picture. It's so common and so clearly reported by many people that I'm left to assume Google likes the engagement the profiles bring and chooses to leave them up.

vintermann 20d ago

I can recall one time I got feedback from Google that an ad had indeed been taken down, that was an Ukrainian women dating ad in Gmail which was not subtle at all about offering trafficked women. But that's some time ago.

stevage 20d ago

Why do you keep reporting them, when clearly that does nothing? And since, as this article points out, Google does not need reports if they actually wanted to block such ads, it seems completely pointless.

nubinetwork 20d ago
> Why do you keep reporting them, when clearly that does nothing? Because some of us don't want to give in to the dead internet theory yet.

hobo123 19d ago

Maybe reporting is the right idea, but Google the wrong target to complain to. Maybe we should report obvious fraud or illegal content to the authorities.