The Hill reports Google Chrome Browser to Start Blocking Ads in February.
In June, Google revealed its plans to have the browser start blocking certain types of ads, like autoplay videos. On Tuesday, the company said that starting Feb. 15, the browser would block all ads on sites that repeatedly show autoplay videos and full-page or pop-up ads.
The standards were proposed by the Coalition for Better Ads, an industry group that includes technology and media companies. If Google finds that a site is failing to meet the coalition’s advertising standards for more than 30 days, Chrome will remove all ads from that site.
Bloomberg Among the Worst
Google is not targeting Bloomberg per se. Rather, Google is targeting autoplay videos, a practice in which Bloomberg is among the worst offenders.
There are others. And if you happen to have many windows open at once, as I do, you can have three or more audio videos running at once.
Why autoplay videos? Those ads pay the most.
I cannot stand the practice. Nor can I stand popups, scroll-overs that take up most of the screen, and other offensive practices.
I figure if I don’t like the practices, I should not do them myself, so I don’t. Over the years, this has cost me a lot of ad revenue.
Better Ads
Here’s Google’s Update on Better Ads.
Google’s announcement stems from the Coalition for Better Ads report on Least Preferred Ad Experiences for Desktop and Mobile Web.
How Will Bloomberg, Others Respond?
No doubt with paywalls. In fact, it’s started already. Will it backfire?
I think so. Most will not pay for garbage, and they will lose out on clicks they would otherwise get.
Who Will Benefit?
The beneficiaries will be sites without paywalls that provide excellent content for free.
I moved my site to The Maven.Net because I believe we will get this correct. I say “we” because I am owner (albeit a very tiny one).
I still have layout issues and changes that I need, but they are being addressed. If you asked for changes, bear with me. I am working on it.
For me, it’s both a long-term proposition and a best business practice proposition.
I am proud to have not succumbed to the routine short-term sleaze that is going to eventually sink many websites and news outlets. I routinely ask my readers to tell me if they see an offensive ad, and I will have it removed.
Layout and commenting changes are in the works.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
ZH is another site with horrible, obnoxious pop up ads and autoplay ads, which is really too bad because I like to read some of their articles, but when a full page popup appears I delete the tab.
Personally, I find this two column layout of the news (with the big banner images) rather difficult. One column news listed in chronological order with minimalist images + plus the right side column, would be more pleasing.
The previous site was better looking and worked better–especially the comment section. Mish has made a sows ear out of a silk purse.
Layout of the detail pages is pretty nice. However, I am not a fan of the current layout of the list/homepage. The reason is that with all those blocks in several columns, it it harder to see what’s new since the last check. With all articles in one list, I tend to see in one glance how many unread/new articles were added (usually read more than half of them).
autoplay ads are the primary reason i disable flash and have a java blocker.
My biggest gripe with sites are those that get ads via ajax calls. A good developer would make an asynchronous call, but some morons decide it’s a good idea to make a synchronous call. so you have to wait until the call gets a response. Probably because they have no clue what they’re doing. They’re likely low cost developers from India. India has the worst software developers. Better to use low cost developers from eastern Europe. They’re much better.
If I have autoplay ads Send me a link. I will kill it
You have autoplay ads on your site
My pet peeve about the modern ads are the ones that anchor the page to the ad so that you can’t even scroll anywhere else. PJMedia is the worst offender I normally visit during the day.
Great move. Auto play video ads are a real pain point for me. They are poor marketing and represent the triumph of short term thinking over common sense. I dont visit any news site that has autoplay vids.
by the way, keep up the good work. it is top quality and a valuable counterweight to the MSM drivel that is out there!
Golf clap from me, Mish. I like the new website and layout. I do have one smal complaint, and that is I prefer the headling in the email alert, so I don’t have to open the email to see a headline – small point I know, but I get a lot of emails and I am on my guard when being asked to open emails in case they contain a virus when the emails are opened. I have a slight nervous tic that your email headline is not a phishing attempt, since “there is a new headline on global economics” could be you or a phisher! i know, i know, i wouldn’t know anyway, so it’s a minor bitch, but still..