A new Adalytics report raises concerns about YouTube billing advertisers for ads shown on videos later removed for breaching its content guidelines, including hate speech, violence, and copyright infringement. Advertisers claim they are often not refunded and that YouTube retroactively redacts video titles from placement reports, replacing them with vague labels like “channel no longer available,” limiting transparency and auditing.

Marketers also reported that up to 90% of their ad spend appeared under YouTube’s ambiguous “Total: Other” reporting category, offering no insight into where ads ran or their performance. Ads have allegedly been served on pirated films, unauthorised sports streams, and other redistributed content promoted by YouTube’s algorithm before being removed.

Despite brand safety certifications and YouTube’s stated policies, advertisers say millions were spent on non-compliant placements with little recourse or accountability. This has sparked wider concern over platform transparency, industry oversight, and the erosion of trust in digital advertising environments.