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Taking action to maintain safety

To prevent abuse and harm on our products and services, we remain proactive and alert. We take special care to understand when users may be particularly vulnerable and take action when abuse is present.

Understanding enforcement

How enforcement works

To enforce our policies at scale, we rely on a combination of automated and human tools to spot problematic content and invalid traffic. We escalate particularly complex cases to specially-trained experts.

To detect child sexual abuse material on our platforms, we rely on two equally important technologies to help us proactively identify child sexual abuse material: hash matching and artificial intelligence. We also have a team of highly specialised and trained content reviewers and subject matter experts who help ensure that our technology delivers accurate results.

Google Search uses automation to deal with policy-violating content. Our search algorithms are designed to prioritise what seems to be the most useful and reliable content in response to particular queries. Our systems are also designed not to surface content that violates our content policies.

To enforce our policies at scale, we rely on a combination of automated and human tools to spot problematic content and invalid traffic. We escalate particularly complex cases to specially-trained experts.

To detect child sexual abuse material on our platforms, we rely on two equally important technologies to help us proactively identify child sexual abuse material: hash matching and artificial intelligence. We also have a team of highly specialised and trained content reviewers and subject matter experts who help ensure that our technology delivers accurate results.

Google Search uses automation to deal with policy-violating content. Our search algorithms are designed to prioritise what seems to be the most useful and reliable content in response to particular queries. Our systems are also designed not to surface content that violates our content policies.

An illustration of the enforcement process from automated technology monitoring to human experts.

Types of enforcement actions

To support information and content quality on our products and services, we take a wide range of enforcement actions to maintain a trusted experience for all. Enforcement actions differ from product to product. Learn more about different types of enforcement actions that we may take when a piece of content violates our policies.

Content actions

Demonetisation

We may limit the monetisation opportunities for a particular piece of content.

Restrictions

Some products may use interstitials before content or age verification to protect children from mature content.

Removal

Content is made inaccessible to everyone and deleted from the product or service entirely.

Demonetisation

We may limit the monetisation opportunities for a particular piece of content.

Restrictions

Some products may use interstitials before content or age verification to protect children from mature content.

Removal

Content is made inaccessible to everyone and deleted from the product or service entirely.

Legal removal requests

Legal removals

We have processes in place to comply with local laws. If you see content on a Google product that you believe violates local law, let us know.

Legal removals

We have processes in place to comply with local laws. If you see content on a Google product that you believe violates local law, let us know.

Learn how we partner with experts to fight harm online
View Partner Programmes

Content feedback and reporting

Collaboration is critical to enforcement

To identify emerging harms and how our existing policies address those, we often incorporate expert input, Priority Flaggers input and user feedback.

Collaboration is critical to enforcement

To identify emerging harms and how our existing policies address those, we often incorporate expert input, Priority Flaggers input and user feedback.

Approach to reporting and user feedback
Incorporating user feedback

Users are able to give feedback and report content across our products, but this doesn’t guarantee removal or any other action on Google’s part.

Flag icon

If you spot content within a Google product that is violative

Report icon

Let us know by submitting a report detailing the violation via the proper product channels.

Block icon

We'll review the content and take any appropriate action

Flag icon

If you spot content within a Google product that is violative

Report icon

Let us know by submitting a report detailing the violation via the proper product channels.

Block icon

We'll review the content and take any appropriate action

Find the tools and forms to report a violation
Go to reporting

Appeals

The opportunity to appeal

Users can appeal content and account restrictions in certain circumstances when they believe that we have made a mistake.

An illustrated smartphone shows the beginning of the appeal process for flagged content.
An illustrated smartphone shows the beginning of the appeal process for flagged content.
The opportunity to appeal

Users can appeal content and account restrictions in certain circumstances when they believe that we have made a mistake.

Process of appeals

Users may be able to submit an appeal which will be sent for review. Access more information below on appeal and review processes.

Warning icon

If you receive a violation notification or email, you may have the opportunity to appeal.

Stop icon

You may be able to submit an appeal to reinstate or derestrict your content if you believe the violation was a mistake or if you have taken corrective action.

Unlock icon

We'll evaluate the appeal and notify you of the outcome of the appeal.

Warning icon

If you receive a violation notification or email, you may have the opportunity to appeal.

Stop icon

You may be able to submit an appeal to reinstate or derestrict your content if you believe the violation was a mistake or if you have taken corrective action.

Unlock icon

We'll evaluate the appeal and notify you of the outcome of the appeal.

Find tools and forms to submit an appeal
Go to appeals