Google Chrome will now block intrusive adverts by default.
In a new update to the browser will now silently block ads that Google feels are detrimental to the user experience. To be clear, that’s not all adverts, rather just the ones that Google doesn’t like.
The search giant is part of a group of online companies called the Coalition for Better Ads which have jointly agreed on the types of ads that should be allowed on the internet and those that shouldn’t.
As such Chrome is expected to block any adverts like these:
Not that you would want to, but the setting can’t be turned off, instead you’ll see a notification at the bottom of the screen telling you that Google has blocked an advert.
Instead of instantly blocking adverts that contravene the rules, Google is giving websites 30 days to rectify the situation and then if they’ve failed to update their adverts by then, they’ll be blocked.
Google made almost $100bn in advertising revenue last year, so you’d be forgiven for wondering why it would then be blocking adverts.
While it could hurt their revenue in the short term, Google considers this to be an investment in the future.
If they can improve the quality of adverts online by blocking the intrusive ones then users are less likely to go out of their way to install more severe ad blockers that remove all advertising from websites.
In a blog post Sridhar Ramaswamy, Senior Vice President, Ads & Commerce said: “We believe online ads should be better.”
“We believe these changes will ensure all content creators, big and small, can continue to have a sustainable way to fund their work with online advertising.”
Safari announced recently that rather than blocking adverts it would stop advertising companies from tracking you, a technology that creates adverts that can seemingly follow you around.