Representatives for von der Leyen’s campaign and AdQuality did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
Google spokesman Karl Ryan said the company was investigating the ads. He declined to comment when asked whether the paid posts violated the tech giant’s advertising disclosure rules.
NGOs denounce a lack of control
MCC AdQuality has spent a total of €69,300 on 17 ads running on Google’s services since mid-March, when von der Leyen announced her campaign for Commission presidency, according to the tech company’s transparency data.
Several of these ads, which cost between €7,000 and €35,000 each, represent some of the largest spending on political advertising on Google over the past two months in Europe, according to company figures. Other big spenders include Hungary’s Fidesz political party and Renew Europe, the pan-European liberal political group.
EU rules on online advertisements will become binding after the European Parliament elections from June 6-9. But the Commission has already advised major online platforms, including Google, to ensure that the political parties behind paid posts are disclosed, under electoral integrity guidelines linked to the new EU law on content moderation .
Seven nonprofits criticized Google on Monday for making it difficult to control political ads and possible foreign interference on its digital services.
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