Several Danish media outlets have run pro-Israel advertisements via Google Ads, including a video targeting an International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor who issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, state-run broadcaster DR reported Wednesday.

Media organizations involved include Danish outlets Jysk-Fynske Medier, JP/Politikens Hus, Aller Media and Berlingske Media.

Academics called the ads “propaganda” and raised concerns about their potential impact on public opinion.

“This is very clear Israeli propaganda. There is no doubt about that,” Associate Professor Jakob Bak Kristensen told DR.

“There is no complexity, and none of the atrocities occurring in Gaza are mentioned. It’s completely cut off,” he added.

Thomas Ploug, a professor of applied ethics at Aalborg University, also criticised the campaign.

Google removes some ads

“Political advertising is problematic because it holds enormous potential for misinformation. Some parts of it, to the best of my knowledge, clearly serve as propaganda,” he said.

The ads were reportedly funded by Israel’s Government Advertising Agency.

“We have identified the banners in Google and have blocked them, along with the link to the YouTube video, and removed the advertiser,” said Lisbet Roge Jensen, Marketing Director at Berlingske Media.

In a written response, Google said it had taken action against ads violating its guidelines, including those with “shocking or violent content.”

After investigating the issue, the company confirmed that it had removed some of the ads in question.

Google added that it removes around 10,000 ads per minute globally as part of its efforts to maintain a safe advertising network.