Google Pulls NSFW Video App XShorts From Play Store After ADWEEK Exposes Brand Ad Placement
Google has removed the popular adult video app XShorts, which has been trending in the top five apps on the Play store this week, after an ADWEEK investigation found blue-chip brands like Verizon, Shell, and Amazon have been inadvertently displaying ads on the platform.
A spokesperson for Google wrote in an email to ADWEEK Wednesday evening: "Quick update: The app has also been suspended from Google Play."
The app had a 'Teen' rating on Google Play, indicating, according to Google's own policies, that it was appropriate for users 13 and up. However, the TikTok-like app hosted an abundance of sexually suggestive and racially offensive content.
The event highlights the challenges for brands in policing where their ads show up in the complicated programmatic ecosystem, especially on fast-growing new platforms that are misclassified.
EXCLUSIVE: Ads From Verizon, Shell, and Others Ran Next to Explicit Videos on Top Android App
The apparent miscategorization of the app led some DSPs and ad servers-including Facebook Audience Network, Amazon, AppLovin, Basis, InMobi, and Moloco-to inadvertently allow ads for big brands to appear on XShorts.
Following ADWEEK's outreach, Meta, Basis, InMobi, and Moloco, either blocked inventory from XShorts or reclassified it as mature content.
ADWEEK independently viewed ads on the platform for brands including Shell, Amazon's Audible, Walgreens, Microsoft, Popeyes, and more. Additional screenshots shared by a source who asked to remain anonymous evidenced ads from Verizon, Starbucks, Roblox, Gatorade, Wayfair, Instacart, Square, and others.
Following ADWEEK's outreach, brands including Roblox, Puck, Todd Snyder, and &SONS tightened their brand safety controls or blocked this app.
The app showed users both banner ads beneath content as well as occasional full-screen ads between videos.
Though a Google Search for XShorts displays a search result for the Play store link to the app's page, that page now displays a message reading: "We're sorry, the requested URL was not found on this server."
