• Wall Street Journal, Thursday, March 30, 2017 6:46 AM

Facing backlash and boycotts by marketers over ads appearing next to extremist content, Google decided to give brands that have suspended advertising more information about where their ads will appear on YouTube, Recode reported. In addition, media buying firm GroupM, said it's hired OpenSlate which will help it analyze YouTube channels. The move aims to ensure that its clients’ ads appear on sites with appropriate content. GroupM clients include L'oreal, HSBC Bank, Lloyds Banking Group, supermarket chain Tesco, and retailer Marks and Spencer all of which suspended ads on YouTube in the U.K., according to the report. The report also said that sources close to the situation told it that Google offered GroupM  a list of YouTube channels in its Preferred advertising program which offers higher-quality videos and YouTube channels with big audiences. While this list isn't publicly available, other Google clients can request, the report said. "Clients advertising on these channels otherwise receive reports from Google about where ads have already run, but without the list cannot know for certain where their ads could potentially run," Recode reported. The report said that OpenSlate will earn a commission when GroupM's clients use the monitoring service. OpenSlate doesn't have a contract with Google or preferred access to the company’s data, Google confirmed.

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