If you’re like so many other Australians who run chrome extensions designed to block annoying ads that pop up on websites before you access content, then say hello to Google Chrome’s latest effort to stop you needing to go to the trouble.
As of February 15th, Google Chrome has introduced a program in conjunction with the Coalition for Better Ads which will remove ads on websites that have a “failing” status in the ‘Ad Experience Report’ for more than 30 days. Think the sort of ads that autoplay a video or ads that pop up at you and stay with you while you scroll through a website. If a violating website cannot fix their experience in a month, no ads will be shown at all until all violations are remedied.
Essentially, Chrome is attempting to improve its user experience by forcing websites that serve people particularly annoying and ‘in your face’ style ads to cease showing such material and align their website with the standards set out by the Coalition for Better Ads (of which it is a member), whilst also discouraging people from downloading extensions that indiscriminately block all ads.
The good news is that all you need to do is update your Google Chrome browser to gain access to the features of this new policy. However this seems like a fairly lackluster effort if Google really wants to stamp out the use of ad blocker programs. Whilst Google and Facebook are projected to control just under half of the global market for digital advertisement this year, these extensions not only hurt the profits of tech giants, but also the profits of smaller websites that are playing by the rules and simply want a fair go, like your friendly neighbourhood EFTM.
An interesting, but generally well lauded move from Google here.
