MAM
Google to ban cryptocurrency ads
MUMBAI: In a move that will have far-reaching ramifications for speculative trade of digital currencies, technology giant Google has announced that it will prohibit advertisements promoting any kind of cryptocurrency. The move is in sync with Google’s upcoming financial services policy. Such ads will be banned across the tech behehoth’s products
In a blog post on the company’s website yesterday, Google’s director of sustainable ads Scott Spencer cited the “unregulated” and “speculative” nature of many of the financial products being advertised.
Google’s decision mirrors a similar announcement from Facebook earlier this year that reflects a broader push by the advertising giants to rebuild user trust in their platforms.
Last year, Google struggled to address advertisers’ concerns that ads were being run alongside objectionable content.
The ban on crypto-related terms will begin from June this year and will cover search, display and YouTube ads for binary options and synonymous products, cryptocurrencies and related content (including but not limited to initial coin offerings, cryptocurrency exchanges, cryptocurrency wallets and cryptocurrency trading advice).
Spencer also stated that the new policy would contain measures to restrict the advertisement of contracts for difference, rolling spot forex and financial spread betting.
The company further stated that advertisers offering the aforementioned features will be required to be certified by Google before they can advertise through AdWords.
To be certified by Google, advertisers will need to be licensed by the relevant financial services authority in the country or countries they are targeting; ensure their ads and landing pages comply with all AdWords policies and comply with relevant legal requirements, including those related to complex speculative financial products.
The company also stated that advertisers can request certification with Google starting March 2018, soon after the application form is published. However, certification will be subject only to select countries.
Bitcoins and other forms of cryptocurrencies have gained widespread popularity in the recent past. They have, however, been shunned as illegal forms of tender. India’s finance minister Arun Jaitley, in his budget speech for 2018, affirmed that the government would do everything to discontinue the use of bitcoin and other virtual currencies in India. He also pointed out that India did not recognise them as legal tender and would instead encourage blockchain technology in payment systems.
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MAM
Star Sports under fire for ‘cringe’ India vs South Africa Super 8 promo
Broadcaster accused of arrogance and disrespect as fans slam Super 8 promotion
AHMEDABAD: Star Sports is facing a wave of criticism after its latest promotional campaign for the India–South Africa T20 World Cup Super 8 match triggered a fierce social media backlash, quickly dubbed “Cupcakegate”.
The advertisement, released this week, hinges on a cupcake metaphor that many viewers have condemned as patronising and disrespectful. In the clip, an Indian supporter mockingly offers a pink cupcake to a South African fan, a visual jibe widely interpreted as portraying the Proteas as a soft, easily beaten opponent.
The backlash has been swift across platforms such as X and Reddit, with fans and commentators accusing the broadcaster of tone-deaf bravado at a crucial stage of the tournament. The criticism is sharpened by the context: both India and South Africa arrive in the Super 8s unbeaten, undermining any suggestion of a one-sided contest.
Online, the cupcake symbol has been read as carrying multiple barbs. Some users argue it alludes to South African president Cyril Ramaphosa’s domestic nickname, while others see it as recycling the long-running “chokers” trope associated with South Africa in ICC tournaments. The casting choice has also drawn scrutiny, with viewers noting the physical disparity between the actors playing the two fans, which critics described as a cheap attempt to belittle the opposition.
Even Indian supporters have joined the pile-on. Many warned that such chest-thumping marketing risks “jinxing” the team, pointing to past tournaments where aggressive campaigns preceded unexpected defeats.
Star Sports is no stranger to rivalry-led advertising, having struck gold with its earlier “Mauka Mauka” series. But analysts say the cupcake campaign misreads a fanbase that has grown less tolerant of overtly mocking narratives and more attuned to sporting parity and respect.
India and South Africa meet on Sunday, 22 February, at the 132,000-seat Narendra Modi Stadium. With South Africa securing their Super 8 berth through a commanding win over the UAE, the fixture is widely billed as a heavyweight clash, not the walkover the ad appears to suggest.
