Google Reportedly Planning To Put Native Ad-Blocking Feature In Chrome

The only way to block ads on Google’s Chrome web browser right now is to download third-party extensions, but that might change soon. Google is reportedly planning on building its own ad blocker for Chrome which may be turned on by default for all users.

People familiar with Google’s plans have indicated that the Alphabet Inc. company is planning to include an ad-blocking feature on both the desktop and mobile versions of its Chrome web browser, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The feature will automatically block online ads that provide bad experiences for users.

Ads that are deemed unacceptable are defined by the Coalition for Better Ads, a group that released a list of standards for ads last month. Online ads that are deemed unacceptable include pop-ups, auto-playing videos with sound and ads with timers that cover the whole webpage/homepage (a.k.a prestitials).

Google’s own ad blocker for Chrome could also possibly be used to block offensive ads en masse on websites. If this is the case, website owners will have to make sure that all ads displayed on their sites meet the required standards or else Google could block all online advertising on their websites.

Google’s plan to create its own ad blocker for the Chrome web browser seems counterintuitive to the company’s online ad-centric stream of revenues. However, the company may be doing this to put a stop to the growth of third-party ad-blocking Chrome extensions.

Google apparently doesn’t like its deals with third-party ad-blockers. An example of this is Google’s deal with AdBlock Plus, as pointed out by TechCrunch. Google pays AdBlock Plus a fee to whitelist some of its ads so it can be displayed on the company’s search engine and elsewhere. Other companies also pay fees to third-party blockers to do the same thing.

If Google is able to offer its own native ad blocker on Chrome, users would no longer need to seek out third-party extensions. Since Chrome is being used by a large portion of users around the world, Google will effectively have more control over blocking online ads.

The WSJ says that Google’s ad-blocking feature could possibly be announced in the coming weeks. However, there’s also a chance that the company might not even move forward with its plans.