Weaponizing Ads: How Google and Facebook Ads Are Used to Wage Propaganda Wars

Google and Meta's advertising platforms have become weapons in propaganda wars, with Israel spending millions on ads targeting organizations like UNRWA. The Israeli government purchased Google ads that appeared when users searched for humanitarian agencies, redirecting traffic to sites accusing UN relief workers of supporting terrorists. This digital propaganda campaign demonstrates how paid advertising enables governments to spread targeted misinformation globally despite platform policies against harmful content.