Chrome will start penalizing sites that display irritating video ads

[Polycount]

In context: Although a large portion of Google's revenue comes from advertisements, the company has made an effort to crack down on abusive ads throughout the web; especially through its Chrome browser. For example, Chrome has gotten features that restrict autoplaying videos and block websites from hijacking your browser back button.

Now, Google is taking things a step further. Moving forward, the browser will begin to comply with a new set of ad standards published by the Coalition for Better Ads. These standards take aim at websites that use irritating techniques to serve ads on their videos.

For example, the new Better Ads Standards will penalize sites that implement video ads longer than 31 seconds that cannot be skipped within the first 5 seconds. Mid-roll video ads of any duration will also be restricted, and websites will not be allowed to place image or text ads in the middle 1/3 of the video window.

Google promises that it won't give its own websites special treatment. The search giant aims to lead by example and tweak its YouTube ads until they comply with the new standards. Notably, the platform currently violates at least one of the standards by displaying mid-roll ads on its hosted videos -- it'll be interesting to see how different the site will feel when those ads are gone.

This type of advertisement won't be allowed under the new Better Ads Standards.

If any site is found to be violating these new standards, Chrome will stop displaying ads on it outright. Given how large Chrome's userbase is, that's a pretty big deal, so there's plenty of incentive for upstanding websites to play by the rules.

The end goal of all these changes is not entirely selfless, of course. Yes, the new standards benefit consumers, but by making ads less intrusive, they also benefit websites and ad corporations like Google. If a user isn't being bombarded with frustrating pop-ups every time they open a new website, there's a chance they'll switch off their ad blocker, or rely on whitelists like the one Chrome uses.

Website hosts have until August 5, 2020 to comply with the new policies before Chrome begins enforcing them. The Coalition has a somewhat tighter timeline, though -- it wants sites to stop displaying annoying video ads in the next four months.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/83886-chrome-start-penalizing-sites-display-irritating-video-ads.html

 

[yRaz]

We gonna do anything about slide show websites? Where they put one sentence on every page for what's a 6 sentence paragraph

 

[Suisam]

We gonna do anything about slide show websites? Where they put one sentence on every page for what's a 6 sentence paragraph

Or pointless overlays that are delayed before popping up that force you to click something.... I really hate that

 

[Polycount]

We gonna do anything about slide show websites? Where they put one sentence on every page for what's a 6 sentence paragraph

I despise these so much.

 

[treetops]

Idk FF has been solid for the last few years, I see no reason to use Chrome

 

[JKnight]

We gonna do anything about slide show websites? Where they put one sentence on every page for what's a 6 sentence paragraph

Those are the worst.

 

[Alex1105]

I don't care and it's not my problem how any website is funded. The simple fact is that they're using my property and my time to display their ad. In a real world they pay to do that, they don't get paid to do it.

You mind your own business at home, when a stranger comes by and uses a window/or a wall from your house to display some publicity poster and he doesn't even ask for permision. How many of you would agree to that ?

 

[cliffordcooley]

You mind your own business at home, when a stranger comes by and uses a window/or a wall from your house to display some publicity poster and he doesn't even ask for permision. How many of you would agree to that ?

I get what you are saying. But it is not that simple. They are not displaying the ad on your monitor. They are displaying the ad on their site. It is your choice whether to visit or not. It is your choice whether to block the ad or not.

 

[ziffel66]

I'd give anything if we could block ALL autoplaying videos. Nearly every site now has an unrelated video playing as you load the page, that chases you down the page as you scroll. How is it even logical to want to distract the reader from what she/he is reading?

 

[jpuroila]

Too little, too late

I'd give anything if we could block ALL autoplaying videos. Nearly every site now has an unrelated video playing as you load the page, that chases you down the page as you scroll. How is it even logical to want to distract the reader from what she/he is reading?

You can, with noscript(and probably with ublock origin or umatrix as well)

 

[Markoni35]

Goodbye Grammarly!!