Google Bans Synthetic Celebrity Ads
Impersonating public figures with generated likenesses is now off the table across its ad surfaces.
Google updated its advertising policies on 12 November 2026 to prohibit the use of AI-generated likenesses of public figures in impersonation-style advertising. The change draws the line at the platform level rather than waiting for regulators, and applies across its ad surfaces. For brands and agencies running synthetic endorsements, the practical consequence is that the authorisation chain for any celebrity-adjacent creative has to be documented before it ships, and the licensed digital-twin model, where a talent explicitly authorises their likeness, becomes the only durable route. Meta and TikTok are likely to follow within weeks.