Policy & compliance · also called Fake UI, Deceptive site navigation
Implied functionality
Implied functionality means an ad or page element pretends to do something, such as play a video or download a file, when a click really opens ads.
Some creatives and landers borrow the look of working controls: a play button over a still image, a "Download" or "Continue" button, a fake chat window, a search box that is only a picture, or a system-style alert. The user clicks expecting the function and gets an ad instead.
The platforms treat this as deception. Google Ads' misrepresentation policy prohibits non-functional elements that resemble buttons and designs that mimic system notifications. The AdSense Program policies prohibit "deceptive site navigation", where ads are made to look like menus, download links or content. Google's RSOC rules add that related-search units must not be placed in misleading ways or made a focal point through false prompts.
In search arbitrage the temptation is on the lander: styling related search terms to look like the "next page" button, quiz answers or article navigation. It inflates Lander CTR, produces accidental clicks and is one of the violations Google lists as in scope for strikes.
An example
A lander shows a blurred video with a large play arrow; the arrow is actually a related-search link for "streaming deals". That is implied functionality.
Related terms
Misleading ad
A misleading ad promises or implies something the landing page does not deliver, tricking people into a click they would not otherwise have made.
Accidental click
An accidental click is a click on an ad that the user did not mean to make, usually because of where or how the ad was placed.
Ad disclosure
Ad disclosure is the clear labelling of paid content as advertising, so people know when a link or listing is an ad before they click.
RSOC policies
RSOC policies are Google's rules for the related-search unit on content pages: real standalone content, honest search terms, honest upstream ads and a fully declared ad creative.
Policy violation
A policy violation is any breach of the rules set by a search feed or traffic source, from a misleading creative to non-compliant traffic or a wrongly declared parameter.
Sources: Google Advertising Policies: Misrepresentation, Google AdSense Help: AdSense Program policies, Google AdSense Help: AdSense for Search Product-Integrated Feature policies