Google Chrome’s Built-in Ad-Blocker to Launch on February 15

Now that Google has pulled its terrible Chrome Installer for Windows 10 devices from the Microsoft Store, we can get back to talking about things that actually make sense. Google was rumoured to be adding a built-in ad-blocker to its Chrome browser since the start of the year, and we finally know when the ad-blocker will be available to all users.

Following the official, public launch of the Better Ads Experience Program by the Coalition for Better Ads, Google today announced (via VentureBeat) that the company plans on bringing its built-in ad-blocker to Chrome on February 15. “Starting on February 15, in line with the Coalition’s guidelines, Chrome will remove all ads from sites that have a “failing” status in the Ad Experience Report for more than 30 days,” the company said.

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Chrome’s ad-blocker isn’t like your run-of-the-mill ad-blocker, though. Google makes a lot of money outs of ads through AdSense, so packing a feature on its browser that blocks every ad on the web is clearly not a good idea. The company is instead going to block ads on sites that go against the guideline set by the Coalition for Better Ads, as shown below:

Google also won’t immediately block ads on sites as soon as they stop meeting the standards set by the coalition, and the publishers will get notified through its Ad Experience Report once the experience of their sites starts declining. If the publisher does not comply with the standards within a month, it will get blacklisted by Google and users will stop seeing those ads on the publisher’s site.

As someone who doesn’t mind basic ads on websites, I think Chrome’s ad-blocker could be useful without hurting publishers and websites that I actually want to support. In recent years, more and more publishers and websites have (sadly) shifted towards obtrusive ads which ruin the browsing experience. Google cracking down on this with the built-in ad-blocker could really help weed out this type of ads from websites.

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Conversation 15 comments

  • Bats

    19 December, 2017 - 4:18 pm

    <p>Does this include the popups from Thurrott.com?</p>

  • MikeGalos

    19 December, 2017 - 4:27 pm

    <p>Gee, I certainly trust Google to remove their competitor's ad customers.</p><p><br></p><p>You do have to wonder about anyone who is so much a Google supporter that they literally choose to run a "don't let anyone compete with us" product.</p>

    • Waethorn

      19 December, 2017 - 6:59 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#229146"><em>In reply to MikeGalos:</em></a></blockquote><p>You're a sad little man.</p>

  • Waethorn

    19 December, 2017 - 7:08 pm

    <p>The HP popup sponsor ads on Petri and Thurrott.com that are ad-blocker-unfriendly are a reason why I don't frequent this site much anymore. It's no wonder all the HP systems here get glowing reviews.</p><p><br></p><p>You can't monetize the network. Otherwise you end up in a staff bubble like TWiT was in its hayday (and look where they are now – they sold off the Brickhouse and operate next to a burrito shop), and become an ad nightmare of mostly sponsored posts and native ads like ZDnet is now and resort to using sketchy ad providers that piss off users that use ad blockers because you can't provide enough value to get readers to open their wallets.</p>

    • jimchamplin

      Premium Member
      19 December, 2017 - 11:03 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#229188"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>If you really feel that way, can I have your Alpha Member number?</p>

      • Waethorn

        20 December, 2017 - 2:34 am

        <blockquote><a href="#229251"><em>In reply to jimchamplin:</em></a></blockquote><p>You're an example of my statement.</p>

  • davidblouin

    19 December, 2017 - 7:10 pm

    <p>Google blocking ads that don't respect google's ad guideline ? I&nbsp;sense an antitrust investigation coming…</p>

    • Waethorn

      20 December, 2017 - 2:35 am

      <blockquote><a href="#229189"><em>In reply to davidblouin:</em></a></blockquote><p>Nope. Google is only one of several hundred advertisers and advertiser groups that abide by the same terms.</p>

      • RM

        20 December, 2017 - 8:12 am

        <blockquote><a href="#229274"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>You mean Google is the king of all the other advertising peons; let them eat cake!</p>

      • davidblouin

        20 December, 2017 - 1:21 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#229274"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>Without googling it, name one other advertisers in this <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Coalition for Better Ads…</span></p>

        • Waethorn

          21 December, 2017 - 6:57 pm

          <blockquote><a href="#229441"><em>In reply to davidblouin:</em></a></blockquote><p>Read the member list yourself. The website is already posted.</p>

          • davidblouin

            28 December, 2017 - 2:18 pm

            <blockquote><a href="#229988"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>Thanks for proving my point, Google is the only major player in that Coalition and everyone else will have to play by Google's rule or get out the coalition. So like i said Chrome will block ad that don't respect Google's ad guideline…</p>

  • zybch

    19 December, 2017 - 8:05 pm

    <p>I'll just keep using Ublock Origin all the same. Blocks ALL the annoying google ads, not just the ones google itself doesn't like.</p>

    • karlinhigh

      Premium Member
      21 December, 2017 - 9:45 am

      <blockquote><a href="#229213"><em>In reply to zybch:</em></a></blockquote><p>Waaay too many of my clients have run into ad-sourced malware or tech support scam sites (must call this number now!) to have me recommending anything other than a full-on ad blocker.</p>

  • Waethorn

    21 December, 2017 - 6:57 pm

    <p>Read this list:</p><p><br></p><p>betterads.org/members/</p><p><br></p><p>Many of the associations, like the international divisions of the IAB, consist of hundreds of advertisers and advertising businesses.</p><p><br></p><p>I already know this page from the last time people made up the claim that this was some sort of plot by Google to censor competing advertising businesses.</p>

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