Google has just launched a surprising new experiment called Google Contributor that allows you to pay to remove ads.
In a move that some might call biting the hand that feeds, Google has launched a new means to cut out advertising from the Google experience.
“Today’s Internet is mostly funded by advertising,” explains Google on its new Contributor website. “But what if there were a way to directly support the people who create the sites you visit each day?”
It works like this. You agree to pay Google a small monthly fee between $1 and $3 (£0.64 and £1.91) to cut adverts from participating websites. A portion of that fee goes to those participating websites that you visit.
The number of websites that have signed up to Google’s new experiment appears to be rather small at present. Google currently lists just sixe: Urban Dictionary, The Onion, Science Daily, WikiHow, Mashable, and Imgur.
Once you’ve signed up to Contributor, any adverts supplied through Google’s AdSense platform will be replaced by a “Thank you for being a Contributor” message on both desktop and mobile.
Of course, Google can only enforce this ad blackout with its own advertising system. It can’t touch rival platforms, which means that dreams of a completely ad-free web browsing experience will have to remain just that for the foreseeable future.
If you’re interested in giving Google Contributor a spin, you’ll have to join a waiting list for an invite.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
