Google Confirms Chrome Adblocker To Combat ‘Annoying, Intrusive Ads’

Google has confirmed that it is building an adblocker into its Chrome web browser to help improve the user experience by combating annoying and intrusive online advertisements.

Alphabet-owned Google wants to foster the creation of “compelling, useful and engaging” ads and is building new tools for publishers to help make this happen.

It has also been working with independent organisation the Coalition for Better Ads, a consortium of technology companies, publishers and advertising agencies which recently released a set of standards for companies to adhere to.

Chrome Adblocking

“It’s far too common that people encounter annoying, intrusive ads on the web–like the kind that blare music unexpectedly, or force you to wait 10 seconds before you can see the content on the page, writes Sridhar Ramaswamy, senior vice president of ads and commerce.

“These frustrating experiences can lead some people to block all ads–taking a big toll on the content creators, journalists, web developers and videographers who depend on ads to fund their content creation.”

As well as the adblocker, Google has created an Ad Experience Report to help publishers understand how the Better Ads Standards apply to their own websites, providing screenshots and videos of annoying ad experiences.

There’s also a best practices guide, along with a platform called Funding Choices where publishers can create customised messages for web visitors using an ad blocker and invite them to either enable ads or pay for a pass that removes all advertisements on that site.

Adblocking has quickly turned into big business, as web users have grown increasingly frustrated at the increasing prevalence of pop-ups and video ads on their favourite sites.

However, the uptake of adblocking software has slowed in recent times as consumers have recognised the need for advertising to pay for their continued access to free online content.

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