Many individuals have experienced the unsettling experience of receiving Father’s Day advertisements promoting discounts for deceased parents via email, illustrating that online advertising can sometimes be insensitive. Examples include advertisements for baby products directed at those experiencing infertility and pet supplies for pets that have passed away, among other instances.

Google is implementing a modest yet beneficial change to provide users with greater control over the advertisements they encounter. Beginning with YouTube in the United States, individuals will have the ability to disable advertisements related to alcohol and gambling – topics that can be particularly challenging for a significant number of people. This new feature will become available on Google Ads and YouTube in countries outside the U.S. in the coming year.

The company announced in a blog post on Thursday that this option will be integrated into its existing ad settings, which already permit users to completely disable personalized advertising. Google clarifies that users who choose to reduce exposure to gambling and alcohol advertisements will see “reduced” instances of these ads, a phrasing that likely accounts for the possibility of occasional unintentional displays.

This decision is particularly welcome for those in recovery, and is a positive development for many who would prefer not to unexpectedly encounter promotions for alcoholic beverages online. Further initiatives of this nature are encouraged!