Google LSA terms of service change: Difference between revisions

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{{~~IncidentCargo~~

|~~Company~~=Google

|~~StartDate~~=~~2025~~-~~04-01~~

[[Google]] changed the terms of service for their ''''L'''ocal '''S'''ervices '''A'''ds' program in the US and Canada. These changes allow Google to collect and analyze '''phone calls''' and '''chat messages''' between businesses and customers who got in contact via an advertisement.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date= |title=Google Local Services Ads Additional Terms for Providers |url=https://support.google.com/localservices/answer/7501778?hl=en |url-status=live |website=Support Google}}</ref>

}}

~~{{Ph-I-Int}}~~

==Background==

~~{{Ph-I-B}}~~

'''LSA''' is a program designed for businesses to advertise their services in the Google search engine as well as Google Maps. Once a business signs up, it will go through a verification process where the necessary licenses, certificates and insurance documents are verified by Google. Following this step, a business may receive a verification check mark and can officially start an ad campaign.

~~==[Incident]==~~

~~{{Ph-I-I}}~~

===~~[Company]'s response~~===

If an ad campaign is started, the respective business will appear higher in Google search results and be marked with the word 'sponsored'. This leads to an increased reach and may attract more customers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Getting started with Local Services Ads |url=https://support.google.com/localservices/answer/6224841?co=GENIE.CountryCode%3DUS&sjid=2416158513707060248-NA |url-status=live |website=Support Google}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Local Services Ads |url=https://business.google.com/us/ad-solutions/local-service-ads/ |url-status=live |website=Business Google}}</ref>

==Changes to the Terms of Service of the '''LSA''' Program (US & Canada)==

As of June 2025, Google requires participating companies to comply with their new terms of service in order to continue advertising via '''LSA'''.

~~==Lawsuit==~~

One of the most notable additions to the TOS is the right for Google to collect and analyze different types of data from '''phone calls''' and '''text-based conversations''' between the business and the customer, which are for example, initialized through the click on an LSA advertisement. (This data collection may also occur when other methods of contacting a business through Google are used.)

~~{{Ph~~-~~I-L}}~~

According to Google, data collection '''includes but is not limited to''' photos, service descriptions, special offers, pricing information and discounts. <ref name=":0" />

==~~Consumer response~~==

==How it Affects Consumers and Businesses==

These changes affect the privacy of businesses and consumers alike due to the fact that is ambiguous what exact data is collected, when it is collected and how it's used by Google. Many fear that data collection might go far beyond what is stated in the TOS and that this data won't just be used to improve Google's algorithms, but also to expand the hidden profiles of Google users with highly sensitive information.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Conrad |first=Saam |date=2025-04-24 |title=Google asserts ownership of all advertiser assets in Local Services Ads |url=https://searchengineland.com/google-asset-ownership-local-services-ads-454561 |url-status=live |website=Search Engine Land}}</ref>

Many businesses in sectors which require confidentiality, such as lawyer services, insurance agencies and medical service providers, can, in theory, not be part of the LSA program anymore. The only options these companies have is to either agree to the new TOS and thereby abandon their duty of confidentiality or to stop using the service entirely, which would leave them at a competitive disadvantage.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Konigsberg |first=Josh |date=2025-06-13 |title=What Lawyers Need to Know About the New Google Local Service Ads Policy |url=https://lawfirmmarketingpros.com/what-lawyers-need-to-know-about-the-new-google-local-service-ads-policy/ |url-status=live |website=Law Firm Marketing Pros}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Apple |first=Marc |date=2025-04-30 |title=Google Quietly Claims Ownership of Your Law Firm’s LSA Data |url=https://forwardpush.com/blog/google-quietly-claims-ownership-of-your-law-firms-lsa-call-data/ |url-status=live |website=Forward Push}}</ref>

==References==

~~{{Ph-I-C}}~~

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{IncidentCargo
+{{StubNotice}}
-|Company=Google
-|StartDate=2025-04-01
+[[Google]] changed the terms of service for their ''''L'''ocal '''S'''ervices '''A'''ds' program in the US and Canada. These changes allow Google to collect and analyze '''phone calls''' and '''chat messages''' between businesses and customers who got in contact via an advertisement.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date= |title=Google Local Services Ads Additional Terms for Providers |url=https://support.google.com/localservices/answer/7501778?hl=en |url-status=live |website=Support Google}}</ref>
-}}
-{{Ph-I-Int}}
 ==Background==
-{{Ph-I-B}}
+'''LSA''' is a program designed for businesses to advertise their services in the Google search engine as well as Google Maps. Once a business signs up, it will go through a verification process where the necessary licenses, certificates and insurance documents are verified by Google. Following this step, a business may receive a verification check mark and can officially start an ad campaign.
-==[Incident]==
-{{Ph-I-I}}
-===[Company]'s response===
+If an ad campaign is started, the respective business will appear higher in Google search results and be marked with the word 'sponsored'. This leads to an increased reach and may attract more customers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Getting started with Local Services Ads |url=https://support.google.com/localservices/answer/6224841?co=GENIE.CountryCode%3DUS&sjid=2416158513707060248-NA |url-status=live |website=Support Google}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Local Services Ads |url=https://business.google.com/us/ad-solutions/local-service-ads/ |url-status=live |website=Business Google}}</ref>
-{{Ph-I-ComR}}
+==Changes to the Terms of Service of the '''LSA''' Program (US & Canada)==
+As of June 2025, Google requires participating companies to comply with their new terms of service in order to continue advertising via '''LSA'''.
-==Lawsuit==
+One of the most notable additions to the TOS is the right for Google to collect and analyze different types of data from '''phone calls''' and '''text-based conversations''' between the business and the customer, which are for example, initialized through the click on an LSA advertisement. (This data collection may also occur when other methods of contacting a business through Google are used.)
-{{Ph-I-L}}
+According to Google, data collection '''includes but is not limited to''' photos, service descriptions, special offers, pricing information and discounts. <ref name=":0" />
-==Consumer response==
+==How it Affects Consumers and Businesses==
-{{Ph-I-ConR}}
+These changes affect the privacy of businesses and consumers alike due to the fact that is ambiguous what exact data is collected, when it is collected and how it's used by Google. Many fear that data collection might go far beyond what is stated in the TOS and that this data won't just be used to improve Google's algorithms, but also to expand the hidden profiles of Google users with highly sensitive information.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Conrad |first=Saam |date=2025-04-24 |title=Google asserts ownership of all advertiser assets in Local Services Ads |url=https://searchengineland.com/google-asset-ownership-local-services-ads-454561 |url-status=live |website=Search Engine Land}}</ref>
+Many businesses in sectors which require confidentiality, such as lawyer services, insurance agencies and medical service providers, can, in theory, not be part of the LSA program anymore. The only options these companies have is to either agree to the new TOS and thereby abandon their duty of confidentiality or to stop using the service entirely, which would leave them at a competitive disadvantage.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Konigsberg |first=Josh |date=2025-06-13 |title=What Lawyers Need to Know About the New Google Local Service Ads Policy |url=https://lawfirmmarketingpros.com/what-lawyers-need-to-know-about-the-new-google-local-service-ads-policy/ |url-status=live |website=Law Firm Marketing Pros}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Apple |first=Marc |date=2025-04-30 |title=Google Quietly Claims Ownership of Your Law Firm’s LSA Data |url=https://forwardpush.com/blog/google-quietly-claims-ownership-of-your-law-firms-lsa-call-data/ |url-status=live |website=Forward Push}}</ref>
 ==References==
 {{reflist}}
-{{Ph-I-C}}