The latest version of Google Chrome web browser will block intrusive ads automatically
Better Ads Standards – that‘s how tech giant Google introduces its new project that aims to stop arbitrary distribution of irrelevant advertisements on the web. On February 15, 2018, Google released a new version of Chrome web browser with an in-built ad blocker, which applies never-used before filter, which blocks disruptive ads, including full-screen graphics, auto-playing videos or audio, brute-force subscription pop-ups, and similar.
The company agrees with the fact that the new Google-filter built into Chrome web browser can cause difficulties for many website developers to maintain their free service. However, apart from privacy, Chrome browser had always been a browser prioritizing best possible web browsing experience.
Online advertisement control has been conducted all the time; however, the number of extensions that block ads increased about 30%. Such vast growth of adblocker usage indicates the fact that people are not satisfied with their web browsing experience and that a fight against ads should move to the next level.
Most popular websites do not meet the latest ad requirements
The whole project Better Ads Standard evolved from the public consumer research initiated by the Coalition for Better Ads. A coalition is an industry group, including Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Proctor & Gamble, Unilever and a collection of publishers including News Corp, Thomson Reuters, and the Washington Post focused on improving users' experience with online advertising.
Google asked 40,000 Internet users in North America and Europe to participate in various surveys related to online advertising. They were shown different types of ads, including the full-page ads, ads that play loud music or won’t go away. According to the participants, full-page ads that completely cover the content of the website are the most intrusive ones, so there’s no doubt that the Chrome’s filter will no longer allow them.
When the Coalition for Better Ads outlined what ads should be regarded as intrusive, the company reviewed over 1,000 favorite websites and discovered more than a half of them displaying very intrusive or semi-intrusive online ads.
Google plans to terminate all intrusive ads – including its own
The Better Ads Standard does not mean the end of online advertising. Google knows better than anyone else that the content on the Internet is available for free thanks for the advertising. However, website developers become increasingly insolent by developing high-density ads or the ones that won‘t go away from the screen at all.
Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, vice president for Chrome, has pointed out that disruptive ads are one of the aspects that waste people‘s time and cause their anger.
These ads are designed to be disruptive and often stand in the way of people using their browsers for their intended purpose — connecting them to content and information. It’s clear that annoying ads degrade what we all love about the web.
Chrome‘s spokesperson also added that the ads themselves are not violating the filter used by Better Ads Standards. Usually, the problem lies at website‘s developer's end as they use too high ad density or imply ads with the countdown.
Websites are currently under investigation. The new filter is applied to the samples of the pages and based on how many violations are detected; they are separated into three types – Passing, Warning, and Failing. Website developers can see comprehensive results via the Ad Experience Report in Google‘s Search Console. In the meanwhile, Chrome users should notice a decrease in ad number. The web browser will automatically block disruptive advertisements on websites that fail the Better Ads Standards and display a warning saying „Ads blocked. Details.“ Clicking on Details link will provide an explanation on what grounds the ads were blocked and allow people to re-enable ads on a particular website.
Critics claim that the whole project has been initiated with self-made incentives. However, having in mind that Google is one of the biggest online-marketing players, it can hardly be imagined because termination of ads can cost the company huge losses. Scott Spencer, Google’s director of product management, emphasizes that the project is oriented to the improvement of people‘s web browsing experience and remind people that some of the Google‘s ads will also be blocked. As Google‘s pre-roll ads that won‘t allow videos to play before the countdown finishes.
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