Google vs Facebook Ads Policy in 2025: Key Differences Every Advertiser Should Know

Navigating the world of digital advertising in 2025 requires a sharp understanding of platform policies, especially for giants

like Google Ads and Facebook (Meta) Ads. Whether you’re working with a Google AdWords company in Dubai or handling AdWords management Dubai, knowing the ins and outs of each platform’s rules can save you from costly rejections or account suspensions. 

This article dives deep into the Google vs Facebook Ads Policy in 2025, comparing their content restrictions, targeting limitations, approval processes, enforcement mechanisms, and transparency requirements. We’ve kept the focus on policies—not performance or conversion rates—to help advertisers craft compliant campaigns with confidence.

Why Understanding Ad Policies Is Critical in 2025?

Digital advertising is a high-stakes game, with platforms like Google and Meta tightening their rules to meet global regulations and protect users. In 2025, the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) are reshaping how ads are created, targeted, and approved. 

For advertisers, especially those seeking AdWords optimization or Reactive Google ads account, staying compliant isn’t just about avoiding penalties—it’s about building trust and maximizing campaign reach. Below, we break down the key policy differences between Google Ads and Meta Ads, focusing on content, targeting, approval, enforcement, and transparency.

Content Restrictions: What You Can and Can’t Advertise

Both Google and Meta have strict rules on what’s allowed in ads, but their approaches differ in scope and enforcement.

Google Ads Content Policies

Google’s policies are rooted in its search-engine DNA, emphasizing relevance and user safety. The platform bans:

Prohibited Content: 

• Counterfeit goods, dangerous products (e.g., drugs, weapons, tobacco), dishonest services (e.g., hacking tools, fake documents), and inappropriate content like hate speech or violence.

Restricted Content: 

• Ads for alcohol, gambling, healthcare, and financial products require certification and must comply with local laws. For example, Google allows certified telemedicine ads in Indonesia and the Philippines (updated April 2025) and permits melatonin ads outside the US/Canada (June 2025) if compliant with local regulations.

Sensitive Content: 

• Sexual content is restricted, with limited exceptions for family-friendly depictions (e.g., PG-13 stylized nudity). Political ads must follow local election laws, with restrictions in certain regions.

Meta Ads Content Policies

Meta’s policies, tied to its Community Standards, prioritize user experience and social harmony across platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Key restrictions include:

Prohibited Content: 

• Illegal products (e.g., drugs, weapons), misleading claims (e.g., miracle cures), and offensive content like hate speech or anti-vaccination messages.

Restricted Content: 

• Alcohol and gambling ads must target 18+ audiences and comply with local laws. Health and wellness ads face strict scrutiny, banning before/after weight-loss images and unverified claims. A 2025 update prohibits health advertisers from optimizing for lower-funnel events (e.g., purchases) starting January, pushing them toward broader objectives like engagement.

Special Ad Categories: 

• Meta’s expanded categories (Finance, Employment, Housing, Social Issues/Elections/Politics) require specific disclosures and limit targeting options.

Key Difference: 

• Google’s restrictions are category-specific with detailed certification processes, while Meta’s broader prohibitions and special categories emphasize preventing discrimination and user harm.

Content Restrictions Comparison

Category	Google Ads	Meta Ads
Hate Speech/Violence	Banned (e.g., hate, cruelty)	Banned (e.g., shocking, violent content)
Adult Content	Restricted (PG-13 exceptions)	Prohibited (18+ targeting, no explicit focus)
Health & Wellness	Certification for drugs, bans unproven claims	No lower-funnel optimization, 18+ targeting
Financial Products	Requires licensing, high disclosure	Special category, strict targeting limits
Political Ads	Local law compliance, certification	Requires authorization, “Paid for by” label

Targeting and Audience Management

Targeting is where Google and Meta diverge significantly, reflecting their core philosophies—Google’s intent-driven search versus Meta’s social engagement focus.

Google Ads Targeting Rules

Google offers flexible targeting based on keywords, location, device, and user behavior, but with limits:

Demographics: 

• Age, gender, and parental status targeting are allowed, but sensitive categories (e.g., health, race) are off-limits for personalized ads.

Custom Audiences: 

• Customer Match and Similar Audiences are permitted with hashed data, but unauthorized data use is banned.

Regulatory Compliance: 

• Ads must respect local laws (e.g., no gambling ads in unlicensed regions like Texas, updated March 2025). The DSA mandates transparency in targeting settings.

Meta Ads Targeting Rules

Meta’s 2025 updates tighten targeting to prioritize privacy and fairness:

Special Ad Categories: 

• Finance, Housing, Employment, and Social Issues ads face severe restrictions—no ZIP code targeting, no lookalike audiences, and mandatory 18–65+ age ranges with all-gender inclusion.

Targeting Exclusions: 

• As of March 31, 2025, Meta removed all detailed targeting exclusions (e.g., excluding men from women’s fashion ads), forcing broader audience strategies.

Custom Audiences: 

• Advertisers must certify first-party data for sensitive categories, and shared audience lists across accounts are banned.

Key Difference: 

• Google allows more granular targeting with certifications, while Meta’s restrictive special categories and exclusion bans push advertisers toward broader, less precise audiences.

Targeting Do’s and Don’ts:

Platform	Do	Don’t
Google Ads	Use broad match keywords for intent-based targeting	Target sensitive data like health or race
	Upload hashed Customer Match lists for precision	Use unconsented customer data. – Run ads in restricted areas (e.g., gambling in Texas)
	Geo-target compliant regions (e.g., alcohol for 21+)	Skip payer name updates (due May 2025)
	Get certifications for sensitive ads (e.g., healthcare)	Ignore appeal options for suspensions
Meta Ads	Use certified first-party data for special categories	Use demographic or interest exclusions
	Rely on Advantage+ for broad audience reach	Target ZIP codes in special categories
	Pick the right Special Ad Category to avoid rejections	Share audience lists across accounts
	Set 18–65+ age and all-gender targeting	Optimize health ads for purchases (banned Jan 2025)
	Certify data to meet DMA rules	Skip political ad authorization

Ad Approval and Review Processes

Getting ads live is a hurdle both platforms make you jump, but their processes differ in speed and scrutiny.

Google Ads Approval Process

• Workflow: Google uses AI and human reviewers, typically approving ads within one business day. Complex ads may take longer.
• Certification: Categories like financial services, gambling, and healthcare require pre-approval certifications (e.g., Legitscript for health ads).
• Appeals: Advertisers can appeal disapprovals via Google Ads support, with clear guidelines for Google Ads account suspension recovery.

Meta Ads Approval Process

• Workflow: Meta combines automated and human reviews, aiming for 24-hour approvals but sometimes extending to 48 hours during high volumes.
• Special Requirements: Political and special category ads need prior authorization and identity verification. Health ads face stricter scrutiny in 2025.
• Appeals: Use Meta’s Account Quality tool to appeal rejections or account restrictions.

Key Difference:

• Google’s process is faster and more automated, while Meta’s human reviews add rigor, especially for sensitive categories.

Enforcement and Penalties

Breaking the rules can lead to ad rejections, account restrictions, or bans. Here’s how enforcement plays out.

Google Ads Enforcement

• Penalties: Ads violating policies are disapproved, with account suspensions for repeat or egregious violations (e.g., misrepresentation). A 2025 update introduces warnings with a 7-day fix period for some violations.
• Transparency: Google’s Ads Transparency Center shows payer names (updated May 2025), ensuring accountability.
• Appeals: Advertisers can appeal via Google’s support system, crucial for Google Ads account suspension recovery.

Meta Ads Enforcement

• Penalties: Violating ads are rejected, with tiered penalties like spending limits or account bans for repeated offenses. Meta’s “Account Quality” tool provides feedback.
• Transparency: The Ad Library displays all active ads with sponsor details, enhancing public oversight.
• Appeals: Appeals go through Meta’s Business Support, with options to edit and resubmit ads.

Key Difference: 

• Google’s enforcement is systematic with clear warnings, while Meta’s tiered approach can escalate quickly to account-level restrictions.

Enforcement Comparison:

Aspect	Google Ads	Meta Ads
Penalties	Ad disapproval, suspensions with warnings	Ad rejection, spending limits, bans
Appeals	Via Google Ads support	Via Account Quality/Business Support
Transparency Tools	Ads Transparency Center (payer names)	Ad Library (sponsor details)

Transparency and Verification

Transparency is a big deal in 2025, driven by regulations like the DSA and DMA.

Google Ads Transparency

• Payer Disclosure: Starting May 2025, Google displays the payment profile name in the Ads Transparency Center, with editing options by June.
• Verification: Advertisers in sensitive categories (e.g., finance, elections) must verify identity and business details, ensuring accountability for those looking to buy Google Ads account.

Meta Ads Transparency

• Ad Library: All ads are publicly viewable, with “Paid for by” labels mandatory for political ads.
• Verification: Special category advertisers need identity checks, with stricter rules for sensitive industries like finance and health.

Key Difference:

• Google’s transparency focuses on payer accountability, while Meta emphasizes public ad visibility and sponsorship clarity.

Regulatory Compliance in 2025

Both platforms face pressure from global regulations, but their challenges differ.

Google Ads and the DSA

Google aligns with the EU’s Digital Services Act by:

• Adding ad badging with “About This Ad” links.
• Allowing users to report illegal content.
• Requiring clear targeting disclosures.

Meta Ads and the DMA

Meta faces tougher scrutiny:

• A €200M fine in April 2025 for its “pay-or-consent” model, deemed illegal under the DMA.
• Ongoing reviews of its less-personalized ad model and profiling-based feeds, pushing Meta toward broader targeting.

Key Difference: 

• Google’s DSA compliance is proactive, while Meta’s DMA challenges force reactive changes, impacting targeting precision.

Regulatory Tips for Advertisers:

• Ensure ad badging and disclosures meet DSA requirements on Google.
• Certify first-party data for Meta’s special categories to comply with DMA rules.
• Monitor local laws for region-specific restrictions (e.g., no gambling ads in unlicensed areas).

Practical Tips for Advertisers

To navigate the Google vs Facebook Ads Policy in 2025, follow these actionable strategies:

Plan for Delays: 

• Submit ads 24–48 hours before launch to account for review times.

Classify Correctly: 

• Use Meta’s special categories and Google’s certifications for sensitive industries.

Leverage First-Party Data: 

• Build robust customer lists to offset Meta’s targeting limits and enhance AdWords optimization.

Stay Updated: 

• Check Google’s Ads Help Change Log and Meta’s Business News for policy shifts.

Appeal Smartly: 

• Use Google’s support or Meta’s Account Quality tool for quick Google Ads account suspension recovery or Meta ad fixes.

Conclusion

The Google vs Facebook Ads Policy in 2025 reveals distinct approaches to digital advertising. Google’s policies, driven by search intent, offer flexibility with strict certifications, ideal for advertisers seeking precise targeting. Meta’s social-centric rules prioritize user safety and fairness, with tighter targeting restrictions and special categories. 

By understanding these differences—content rules, targeting limits, approval processes, enforcement, and transparency—advertisers, including those working with a Google AdWords company in Dubai, can craft compliant campaigns that maximize reach and avoid pitfalls. Stay proactive, align with regulations, and leverage first-party data to thrive in 2025’s dynamic ad landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions