AdSense Blocking Controls: Significant Skin Exposure Category

On July 23, 2025, Google announced that the “Significant Skin Exposure” sensitive category in Blocking controls will be deprecated starting July 30, 2025. This change is part of Google’s ongoing efforts to provide publishers with more precise brand safety tools, allowing for better control over the types of ads displayed on their platforms.

What’s Changing?

As of July 30, 2025, the “Significant Skin Exposure” category will no longer be available for broadly blocking creatives that feature bare skin. This means publishers will need to rely on more specific categories to filter out unwanted ads. The transition will occur in two phases:

1. July 30, 2025: The “Significant Skin Exposure” category will be labelled as “Deprecated” in Blocking controls.
2. September 30, 2025: Any existing blocks using this category will cease to apply.

What Should Publishers Do?

If You Don’t Use the “Significant Skin Exposure” Category

No action is required. On July 30, 2025, Google will automatically remove this category from your Blocking controls, and your existing settings will remain unaffected.

If You Use the “Significant Skin Exposure” Category

If you currently rely on this category to block ads, you’ll need to update your Blocking controls before September 30, 2025, to maintain your brand safety standards. Google recommends using the following alternative categories to block ads with significant skin exposure:

• Sensitive Categories:
  • Reference to Sex
  • Sexual Reproductive Health
  • Dating
• General Categories (Subcategories under Apparel):
  • Swimwear
  • Underwear

By transitioning to these more granular categories, you can continue to block ads that may not align with your audience’s preferences or your brand’s values.

Ensuring Brand Safety

Google’s ad network and platform program policies will continue to filter out ads that violate their guidelines, ensuring they don’t appear on your site. However, to maintain effective brand safety, it’s critical to review and update your Blocking controls. Take the time to assess your current general and sensitive category blocks to ensure they align with your brand’s requirements.

Next Steps

To prepare for this change:

1. Log in to your Google Ads account and navigate to Blocking controls.
2. Review your current blocks, especially if you’re using the “Significant Skin Exposure” category.
3. Add the recommended categories (e.g., Reference to Sex, Swimwear, etc.) to your blocks as needed.
4. Monitor your ad performance after September 30, 2025, to ensure the new settings meet your expectations.

By proactively updating your settings, you can maintain a safe and relevant ad experience for your users. For more details, refer to Google’s official documentation or support resources.