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Google LSA terms of service change

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Contents4
  1. Background
  2. Changes to the Terms of Service of the LSA program (US & Canada)
  3. How it affects consumers and businesses
  4. References

Google changed the terms of service for their 'Local Services Ads' program in the US and Canada. These changes allow Google to collect and analyze phone calls and chat messages between businesses and customers who got in contact via an advertisement.[1]

Background

LSA is a program designed for businesses to advertise their services in the Google search engine as well as Google Maps. Once a business signs up, it will go through a verification process where the necessary licenses, certificates and insurance documents are verified by Google. Following this step, a business may receive a verification check mark and can officially start an ad campaign.

If an ad campaign is started, the respective business will appear higher in Google search results and be marked with the word 'sponsored'. This leads to an increased reach and may attract more customers.[2][3]

Changes to the Terms of Service of the LSA program (US & Canada)

As of June 2025, Google requires participating companies to comply with their new terms of service in order to continue advertising via LSA.

One of the most notable additions to the TOS is the right for Google to collect and analyze different types of data from phone calls and text-based conversations between the business and the customer, which are for example, initialized through the click on an LSA advertisement. (This data collection may also occur when other methods of contacting a business through Google are used).

According to Google, data collection includes but is not limited to photos, service descriptions, special offers, pricing information and discounts. [1]

How it affects consumers and businesses

These changes affect the privacy of businesses and consumers alike due to the ambiguity regarding the specific data collected, when it is collected, and how it can be used by Google. Concern exists that data collection might go further beyond what is explicitly stated in the TOS, meaning that this data won't just be anonymized and used to improve Google's algorithms, but also to expand the hidden profiles of Google users with highly sensitive information.[4]

Many businesses in sectors which require confidentiality, such as legal services, insurance agencies and medical service providers may not be aware that they may need to re-assess their participation in the program. They may either agree to the new TOS and thereby abandon their duty of confidentiality or to stop using the service entirely, which would leave them at a competitive disadvantage.[5][6]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Google Local Services Ads Additional Terms for Providers". Support Google. Archived from the original on 14 Sep 2025.
  2. ↑ "Getting started with Local Services Ads". Support Google. Archived from the original on 4 Jan 2026.
  3. ↑ "Local Services Ads". Business Google. Archived from the original on 19 Jan 2026.
  4. ↑ Conrad, Saam (2025-04-24). "Google asserts ownership of all advertiser assets in Local Services Ads". Search Engine Land. Archived from the original on 30 Dec 2025.
  5. ↑ Konigsberg, Josh (2025-06-13). "What Lawyers Need to Know About the New Google Local Service Ads Policy". Law Firm Marketing Pros. Archived from the original on 16 Sep 2025.
  6. ↑ Apple, Marc (2025-04-30). "Google Quietly Claims Ownership of Your Law Firm's LSA Data". Forward Push. Archived from the original on 31 Dec 2025.
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