Google comes under fire for suspending its UK advertising reform during the election campaign

Google has suspended the advertising account of Reform UK, a political party in the United Kingdom formerly known as the Brexit Party. Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, expressed his outrage on Twitter, calling the move “election interference.”

The blocking of Google comes at the height of the election campaign, less than two weeks before the July 4 election.

In his tweet, Farage stated: “🚨 ELECTION INTERFERENCE 🚨 Big Tech giant @Google has BLOCKED our advertising accounts. They are trying to shut down the message of reform.” He also called on Matt Brittin, president of Google Europe, Middle East and Africa, to urgently address the issue, echoing the party’s call for immediate action.

This incident raises significant doubts about the role of big tech companies in the political process, particularly in the context of advertising and free speech, and during an election season when time is of the essence.

Although Google has not yet responded publicly to Farage’s allegations or provided a detailed reason for the blocking, such measures are usually justified by violations of the company’s advertising policies.

Reform UK positions itself as a critic of the establishment and an advocate of profound reforms in British politics and relies heavily on digital platforms to spread its message.