Chrome will soon block the worst kind of video ads by default

Immersion breaking video ads are the worst kind of ads.

lenovo-14e-chromebook-enterprise-4.jpg?i

What you need to know

  • Google will take action against obtrusive video ads from August 2020.
  • It will not show any ads on sites that repeatedly violate the new video policies.
  • It will also review its own products like YouTube to ensure it remains in compliance.

Google, in line with new guidelines from the Coalition for Better ads, will be making moves against obtrusive video ads later this year.

For context, the Chrome browser has shipped with an ad blocker from the last year that automatically blocked text ads which fell below coalition standards. Google says that the new feature actually helped decrease voluntary ad-blocking rates as customers would no longer seek to download their own ad blockers if the built-in one was enough. That is, the ads that were allowed now fell below the annoyance threshold. It’s now taking that approach over to video ads.

The Coalition, and by extension Google, now classify three kinds of video ads as undesirable:

  • Long, non-skippable pre-roll ads or groups of ads longer than 31 seconds that appear before a video and that cannot be skipped within the first 5 seconds.
  • Mid-roll ads of any duration that appear in the middle of a video, interrupting the user’s experience.
  • Image or text ads that appear on top of a playing video and are in the middle 1/3 of the video player window or cover more than 20 percent of the video content.

Google’s Jason James, Product Manager said in a blog post:

Following the Coalition’s lead, beginning August 5, 2020, Chrome will expand its user protections and stop showing all ads on sites in any country that repeatedly show these disruptive ads. It’s important to note that YouTube.com, like other websites with video content, will be reviewed for compliance with the Standards. Similar to the previous Better Ads Standards, we’ll update our product plans across our ad platforms, including YouTube, as a result of this standard, and leverage the research as a tool to help guide product development in the future.

Video ads that are unskippable and pop up where they are not wanted are distracting to users and generally break the immersion and flow of whatever content you’re consuming. Google earlier made it easy to kill off auto-play video in Chrome for this very reason. Hopefully, sites and publications which rely on video ads will ensure they adhere to the new standards by the time August rolls around.
Best Ad Blockers for Chrome in 2020

Related posts

Latest posts

Dell Tech Days: Big Savings on AI-Ready PCs and More

Dell / Dell Good news if you’ve been waiting for the right time to , Dell Tech Days is offering deals that make waiting worth it. on top PCs, monitors, and accessories, plus 2x Dell Rewards. Pull the trigger and get yourself an AI-ready machine and score big on premium hardware. Savings on Products Recommended […]

I tried roaming on Google Fi and T-Mobile, this is the best

If you travel abroad frequently, you’ve probably wondered how to cut back on bill shock. We’ve all been there: you have a great vacation, get back home, and your next postpaid bill drops. Except, it’s much higher than you expected thanks to roaming charges for using your phone abroad. Most networks offer some form of […]

Updated macOS malware variant uncovered by Microsoft

Microsoft has observed a once formant macOS malware that has now began targeting Apple’s Xcode platform in a new, more enhanced variant.

Research suggests cutting down screen time can work better than antidepressants

With access to internet cut off, screen time came crashing down, leading to better mental health, improved sleep, and positive behavioral changes in users.

Google makes it harder to accidentally call 911 with your Pixel Watch

A new feature will help reduce the number of accidental 911 calls from Pixel Watches, and it's rolling out to Pixel Watch users now.

Google’s new policy tracks all your devices with no opt-out

Google has implemented the same strategy they once called wrong and subverts user choice. The tracking has begun and it's happening without your permission.

Amazon is replacing its TikTok-like Inspire with Rufus the AI bot

Amazon shut down Inspire and will be replacing it with AI shopping assistant, Rufus.

This Lenovo ThinkPad is normally $3,229 — today it’s $1,453

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 provides reliable performance from a portable body. The laptop is on sale from Lenovo at 55% off, or savings of $1,776.

Meta’s new ‘Llamacon’ event is all about open-source AI

Meta Connect returns in September but will be preceded by the new Llamacon AI conference in April.

Chase’s latest move will help cut fraud, but Zelle users may not like it

Chase Bank will be blocking Zelle payments to sellers on social media platforms and messaging apps starting March 23.