Chrome is Not Blocking Ads, Google is Working with Ad Industry
A horrific example of web advertising.
Back in April, I wrote that Google’s plans to block web ads in Chrome were not as far-reaching or consumer-friendly as reports suggested. Now, Google has confirmed this.
As you may recall, The Wall Street Journal claimed that Google was planning to add native ad-blocking functionality to its flagship Chrome web browser. It seemed incredible that Google, a company that makes over 90 percent of its revenues from ads, would make such a move.
But it was literally incredible: As I reported at the time, Google’s plans weren’t as exciting as the Journal suggested.
“Google’s integrated ad-blocker won’t block all advertising,” I wrote. “It will only block ‘unacceptable ad types’ as defined by the Coalition for Better Ads. That is, it will remove the most annoying ads, which include pop-up ads, auto-playing video ads with sound, prestitial countdown ads, and large sticky ads on PCs. (And different types of ads on mobile.)”
And that is exactly what they are doing.
This week, Google revealed that it will work with the Coalition for Better Ads to remove “annoying ad experiences.”
As the primary source of advertising on the Internet, Google will also work with advertisers to help them “improve ads for consumers” and stop them from “blocking all ads, [which] takes a big toll on the content creators, journalists, web developers and videographers who depend on ads to fund their content creation.”
Google is also working with advertisers on a “customized message to visitors using an ad blocker, inviting them to either enable ads on their site, or pay for a pass that removes all ads on that site through the new Google Contributor.”
Google is working hand-and-hand with the advertising industry, it’s biggest customer base. and Chrome will never really help you block ads. Instead, Google will help advertisers make more efficient and less annoying ads that consumers won’t feel compelled to block. This isn’t as altruistic as many would like to believe. And you will absolutely still want to use an ad-blocker with Chrome if you do so today.