Microsoft Advertising's trust and safety report reveals the removal or restriction of over one billion ads and suspension of more than 475,000 advertiser accounts in 2024. The company maintained a strong commitment to providing a safe platform amid evolving digital threats, including a significant rise in financial scams leveraging Generative AI to produce deepfake content like fake celebrity endorsements and phishing sites. These sophisticated scams required advanced AI-powered detection and prevention strategies.
Advanced Safety Measures and Policy Updates
In October 2024, Microsoft updated its policies to specifically target deepfake technology, enabling quick identification and removal of fraudulent endorsements and deceptive claims. Moderation was enhanced by replacing opaque risk assessments with transparent, large language model (LLM)-generated explanations, giving reviewers clearer insights to address emerging threats effectively. Investments in agentic workflows and LLMs improved detection of phishing and novel scam tactics, including get-rich-quick schemes disguised as celebrity endorsements and zero-day phishing attacks.
Combating Advertiser Fraud and Enhancing Trust
Efforts to combat advertiser fraud focused on early signals such as suspicious business credentials, impersonation patterns, and unusual payment activity, allowing swift action with minimal disruption to legitimate advertisers. Microsoft also introduced robust brand suitability controls, enabling advertisers to avoid placing ads near sensitive content like political or children’s topics. Expanded feedback options for Native ads empower consumers to report or hide ads they find irrelevant, repetitive, or misleading, fostering a respectful environment that protects brand integrity.
Enforcement and Transparency
Microsoft removed or restricted ads primarily for misleading content, brand infringement, and gambling violations. Over 250,000 publisher pages hosting inappropriate content such as sexually explicit material or dangerous products were also addressed. The review teams provide a clear appeal process for advertisers and publishers, refining enforcement systems based on appeals and complaints. In 2024, nearly 245,000 ads and 5,000 accounts were rejected following 70,000 complaints, while over 1.5 million ad rejections and 20,000 accounts were overturned after 72,000 appeals.
Future Outlook
Microsoft Advertising remains committed to trust and safety, adapting policies and enforcement to the evolving regulatory and threat landscape. The company emphasizes agility, cross-industry collaboration, and empowering all stakeholders with greater control over their advertising experiences. Despite robust defenses, some scams may still appear, and users are encouraged to report suspicious ads.
The ongoing dedication to a secure, trusted Microsoft Advertising ecosystem aims to build a resilient platform for advertisers, consumers, and publishers alike.
