Apple Sets Strict Rules for Ads in Maps, Crypto to Politics Banned

JAKARTA - Apple officially revealed its latest advertising policy for the Apple Maps app ahead of the launch of the advertising feature in the United States and Canada this summer. Although it is starting to open up space for advertisers, the company applies quite strict rules regarding the types of ads that can and cannot appear on its navigation platform.

The policy is contained in the Advertising Services Policy document released by Apple. This rule is a guideline for all advertisers who want to promote their business through Apple Maps.

Three Main Categories Prohibited

In its latest policy, Apple specifically prohibits three business categories from placing ads on Apple Maps, namely:

home repair services (home services),

bail bonds service,

ATM for cryptocurrencies.

The category of home repair services includes various types of businesses such as:

plumber,

electrical installation services,

locksmith,

air conditioning service (HVAC),

pest control,

roofing services,

building contractors.

Both direct and indirect promotions for the service will not be accepted. This policy is one of the main differences between Apple Maps and Google Maps.

Until now, Google has allowed ads from various home improvement service providers, and the category has become one of the largest local ad segments on its platform.

By limiting the categories, Apple seems to want to focus more on ads for businesses that have physical locations that customers can visit directly.

Medical Ads Can Still Enter

Apple is not completely closing the door on health services. Ads related to medical services can still be displayed, but each promotional material will be evaluated individually before getting approval. This means that not all health service ads are automatically allowed.

In addition to these three main categories, Apple also implements various other restrictions that have long been in place on its advertising platform.

Some types of ads that are prohibited include:

weapons and ammunition,

narcotics and prohibited substances,

tobacco products,

violence promotion,

discriminatory content,

fraud,

false information,

illegal content,

copyright infringement,

vulgar or insulting language.

Apple also prohibits ads that:

attacking Apple products,

promoting devices that compete directly with Apple hardware,

contains political content,

offering health products without scientific evidence,

contains offensive or controversial content.

Meanwhile, ads for alcohol, prescription drugs, financial services, dietary supplements, gambling, and lottery activities are still allowed, but must meet a variety of additional requirements that Apple has set.

Ads Will Be Given Special Labels

Apple ensures that all ads that appear on Apple Maps will be labeled "Ad" so that users can easily distinguish between organic search results and paid content.

Ads will appear on:

search results,

the Suggested Places section.

In the initial stage, the feature is only available in the United States and Canada.

Apple Claims Privacy is Still Protected

Amid growing concerns about user privacy, Apple insists that the advertising system in Apple Maps is designed without connecting user location data with their Apple Account.

The company also stated that it does not collect ad interaction history to share with third parties.

In other words, user location data will not be used to build cross-service advertising profiles as is common practice on a number of other digital platforms.

The presence of ads on Apple Maps marks a new step for Apple in expanding its digital advertising business. However, compared to its competitors, the company has opted for a more conservative approach by implementing a stricter list of prohibited categories as well as highlighting user privacy aspects. The strategy shows Apple's efforts to increase revenue from advertising without sacrificing the company's image, which has always prioritized data security and user experience.