Ad Platform Updates: Deadlines to Watch This Month (Nov 2, 2026)

It’s been a quiet few days for big announcements, so this week’s round-up focuses on the ad platform deadlines and default changes coming up over the next few weeks. Put these in your calendar now, before the Black Friday rush.

This week’s quick list:

• Google stops requiring hashed customer data for Customer Match (November 16)
• Meta’s updated ad terms are now on hold indefinitely (update, Nov 3)
• New Performance Max campaigns will pull images from your website by default (December 4)
• Google Search campaigns no longer use your campaign language setting

November 16: Google stops requiring hashed customer data

From November 16, Google Ads Data Manager will no longer require customer data (like email addresses and phone numbers) to be SHA-256 hashed before upload. Instead, Google says it will accept encrypted data by default and match it inside a secure, isolated environment. The change covers Customer Match and enhanced conversions uploads through CRM connections, cloud storage imports, file uploads and the Data Manager API. (PPC Land)

What to do: If you upload customer lists to Google Ads, note your current match rates now so you can compare after the switch. If a CRM or agency handles your uploads, ask them whether anything changes on their side.

Update: Meta’s new ad terms are on hold indefinitely

Updated November 3: An earlier version of this post said Meta’s revised terms would take effect on November 20. In fact, Meta had already delayed them indefinitely on October 28. Meta said its current terms remain in place for now and that it will consult industry groups before making changes. A Norwegian court has also temporarily suspended the new terms, and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority opened an investigation on October 30. (ABC News/AP, Nieman Lab)

What to do: Nothing for now. Your current Meta terms still apply. We’ll cover it here when Meta announces a new date.

December 4: Performance Max pulls images from your site by default

Google has announced that, from December 4, image extraction will be on by default for newly created Performance Max campaigns. This lets Google pull images from your landing pages to use in your ads. It applies even if you’ve turned dynamic images off at the account level. Existing campaigns keep their current settings. (PPC Land, Relevant Audience)

What to do: If you create new Performance Max campaigns for the holidays after December 4, check the image extraction setting before launch. Make sure the images on your landing pages are ones you’d be happy to see in an ad.

Google Search campaigns no longer use your language setting

Google has been removing the campaign-level language setting from Search and AI Max for Search campaigns since late September. Instead, Google decides which language to serve based on your ad and landing page, and its understanding of the languages each user speaks. Performance Max keeps your language settings for YouTube, Display, Discover and Gmail, and Shopping isn’t affected. (PPC Land, Search Engine Roundtable)

What to do: This matters for Indian advertisers running separate campaigns in English, Hindi or regional languages. Make sure each campaign’s ads and landing pages are clearly in the language you want to target, and keep an eye on your search terms report.

Key takeaways

• ✅ Record your Customer Match rates before November 16
• ✅ Watch for Meta’s new date for its revised ad terms
• ✅ Check image extraction on any new Performance Max campaign after December 4
• ✅ Keep ads and landing pages in the same language for each Search campaign

Related reading

• Ad Platform Updates: What Changed This Week (Oct 30, 2026)
• Ad Platform Updates: What Changed This Week (Nov 3, 2026)
• How to Set Up Meta Advantage+ Campaigns on a Small Budget

Not sure how these changes affect your campaigns?

Deadlines and default changes are easy to miss when you’re busy running a business. BananaBlocks Solutions manages Google, Meta and social ad campaigns for small and growing businesses, and keeps them up to date as the platforms change.

Book a free 30-minute ads review and we’ll check your account for anything you should adjust before the holiday rush.