Ad-blocking could soon come as standard in the mobile and desktop versions of Google’s Chrome browser according to a new report.
Sources told the Wall Street Journal the company has been working on a native ad-blocker that would be turned on by default within Chrome.
According to the “people familiar with the company’s plans,” Google’s own ad-blocker would filter out only certain online adverts – specifically those that have been identified as potentially providing a “bad experience” for users.
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At this point, Google hasn’t commented on the claims, and the information is far from verified, but the sources claim we could get an official announcement within weeks.
However, the company is also said to still be working on the project, and could decide to shelve it altogether if the last few issues can’t be addressed.
If the feature does go live, Chrome’s native ad-blocker could, it’s claimed, block all ads on a site that has been identified as having just one or a handful of inappropriate ads.
As the WSJ reports, ad-blocking has been taken up by 26% of US users on desktop devices, as preventing against unwanted adverts becomes increasingly popular.
Its sources claimed this latest move from Google is designed to prevent further growth of third-party ad-blocking tools and give Google more control over the ad-blocking process.
A Google spokesperson told CNET “we do not comment on rumour or speculation,” adding: “We’ve been working closely with the Coalition for Better Ads and industry trades to explore a multitude of ways Google and other members of the Coalition could support the Better Ads Standards.”
For now then, we’re unsure as to whether Google is indeed developing its own ad-blocking tech for Chrome, and if so, when it will arrive. But we’re expecting to hear more very soon so stay tuned.
Let us know what you make of the report in the comments.
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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.
