Google is suspending all advertising connected to Ireland's abortion referendum as part of moves to protect "election integrity," the company announced Wednesday.
The internet giant said that starting Thursday, it would no longer display ads related to the May 25 vote on whether to repeal Ireland's constitutional ban on most abortions.
Google said the move is part of its global efforts to protect election integrity, and it comes amid concerns about the role of online ads in swaying voters. The prohibition on ads connected to the Irish vote applies to both Google and YouTube, which the company owns.
The online search leader, which is based in Mountain View, California, declined to say how much advertising revenue it was giving up because of the decision.
Google's statement followed Facebook's decision Tuesday to ban foreign advertisements around the abortion referendum, which has drawn worries about the influence of North More