Google 'immediately' censored ads featuring Trump, but not Harris, executives say
Google tells Fox News Digital 'occasionally our systems make mistakes'
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Grant Cardone, a popular real estate investor and private equity fund manager, has been uploading entrepreneurial videos and monetized advertisements on Google-owned YouTube since 2007.
But over the past six months, increasingly more vocal support of former President Donald Trump and discussions surrounding both his and Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris' respective policies on the social platform has reportedly landed him in hot water. Cardone claims Google "immediately" flagged his content over a picture of Trump, and waited nearly two weeks before flagging content that featured Harris.
"We're not new to advertising. We are new to what's happened in the last eight or nine months since I became a very strong Trump advocate and [have] become more public about that," Cardone told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
"We were running ad traffic to a new YouTube channel – again, we weren't selling a product or a service – and that it was to make people aware about this 10X Studios [YouTube] channel that is basically entrepreneurial content to help Americans learn new ways to become entrepreneurs and handle money and business."
"We've had more account suspensions, ad disapproval for ads that have been running for 18 months, in the last six months," Cardone Enterprises President Jarrod Glandt also told Fox Digital.
10X co-founder Grant Cardone and Cardone Enterprises President Jarrod Glandt spoke to Fox News Digital about their alleged ad censorship on Google platforms. (Getty Images)
"We just had two more accounts suspended on Monday on both Meta and on Google than we have in the previous 10 years we've been running traffic online," Glandt said. "I've never seen anything like this. I've had outside agencies look at it. They can't figure it out. It's completely absurd."
In a now-viral Instagram reel posted earlier this month, Cardone explained how his 10X Studios account had uploaded an original 10X-branded advertisement, when an automated Google review said that video was "ineligible" for monetization due to "election advertising," until Cardone allegedly changed one video title and thumbnail to feature Kamala Harris. The version featuring Harris ran from Sept. 4 to Sept. 11, and Google didn't flag and remove that ad until Sept. 17, Cardone claimed.
"[We] are simply pushing traffic awareness to a free channel. So we couldn't figure out what it was. And then I said, ‘Hey, is there any chance that it's the thumbnail of Trump? … Take the Trump picture out and replace it with [Harris],’" he explained.
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"For clarity, it wasn't even a Trump thumbnail on the main ad, it was a 60-second ad or so. And there was one clip of us scanning over the type of content that's on the [10X] page. And out of probably 25 thumbnails to videos that were on there, one of them had Trump's picture on it," Glandt expanded.
Cardone added "for the record, I am not associated with the [Trump] campaign. I am a free American that is concerned about the direction of our country. And I think Donald Trump's the best choice for what's happening right now in our country, particularly with our economics."
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a Google spokesperson said "this issue was resolved weeks ago," and the election advertising verification process is required for any advertiser who wishes to run ads that reference or include images of political candidates.
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"Under our policies, both of these ads should have been disapproved because the advertiser has not completed our election advertising verification process. The second ad was initially approved in error and has since been blocked. Our policies are designed to treat all advertisers equally, regardless of political affiliation. Occasionally our systems make mistakes, and we correct them as soon as we spot them."
Google has also come under federal scrutiny as the Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit earlier this month against the company over its alleged monopolistic power in the ad-tech industry.
Furthermore, just this week, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., launched an investigation into Google and Meta for reportedly listening in on Cox user phone calls and tailoring ads to their conversations.
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When asked whether he had a message for Google, Cardone explained why they should not interfere.
"Stay out of my business and let me voice my politics and voice my political opinions the way I want to," he said. "We're trying to provide people with great jobs, great opportunities, and our companies are assisting Americans in getting their money right. We do this without government funding… I want to spend money with your company. Don't penalize me. And if you're going to penalize me, just tell me you don't want my money."
The recent experience on the YouTube and Google Ads platforms has "100%" pushed Cardone and his 10X brands to consider posting exclusively to more free speech-friendly sites like Rumble and now X under Elon Musk’s ownership.
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"We are getting more positive support from Americans that believe in freedom and freedom of speech right now than we ever have," Cardone said.
"While some Americans tend to shy away from this because it hurts them for a second, it appears to us that our base of customers is expanding and becoming almost zealots, if you will, in support of those people who are willing to stand up and have a voice despite the possible pain to their business."
