
Improving advertising on the web - d2kx
https://blog.chromium.org/2017/06/improving-advertising-on-web.html
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heavymark
It's a last measure for Google since otherwise the percent of people using ad
blockers (that block all ads) will become so large that Google will crippled
beyond recovery.

There hope is that if a blocker is built in natively, new users won't install
a third party blocker. And there blocker will allow most all their ads, but
block all competitor ad's that are especially annoying. And people will
presumably hate ads less.

This will most likely backfire since everyone who never considered installing
an ad blocker will now have it by default.

Then eventually, Google will without question eventually block third party
blockers. They will say they unsafe, negatively affect performance, or insert
any excuse. Then everyone will be stuck viewing all their google ads.

If Google were to block blockers now, they would be destroyed by the public,
but assume that if they offer a blocker that there maybe less backlash and
hoping people won't leave for Safari or Firefox.

~~~
killjoywashere
Google's stock is up from 735 this time last year to 988 today. They're not
fighting with their backs against the wall. They're in the middle of the ring,
taking all comers.

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bhhaskin
Ugh, I don't like this. Why is one of the worlds largest advertiser deciding
what ads will be displayed, and which ads wont. Seems kind of like leaving the
fox guarding the hen house.

~~~
killjoywashere
They're making a decision based on pretty measurable psychometric variables
(flashing, size), not content. They included in their position a commitment
that they will not serve their own ads on such sites, so they stand to lose if
the publisher commits to losing. It's the publisher's choice if they want to
degrade the quality of the open web by overselling psychological manipulation
techniques that advertisers obviously want to employ. But Google is exercising
its right to exit that market.

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redm
This is precisely the problem with Google operating the dominant browser on
the planet. They are always going to be accused of having a conflict of
interest; the conversation itself is the problem.

IMO, if Google's goal is to really improve the web experience, it would be
much better if Chrome was spun off into a non-profit of its own, and not
controlled directly by Google.

That won't happen because Google needs Chrome to control the platform where
most ads are delivered and that helps keep Google dominate.

~~~
bluehazed
Yeah... the reason why it smells like a conflict of interest is because it is
a conflict of interest.

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makecheck
It's not entirely clear to me how even Chrome can enforce this, though any
reduction in crappy behavior is probably a net win.

Frankly I want a cap on downloads of random junk for _any_ reason, ads or
otherwise. Chrome should set strict limits on sizes of scripts, number of
domains, amount of data, etc. and require user opt-in only where it makes
sense (e.g. "I need to watch a video").

------
x0x0
Google execs sounded the brown note :D

I installed ad-blockers on all relatives computers after those "you have a
virus" full-page ads that talked my mom into calling someone, handing over her
credit card, _and_ giving them remote control over her computer.

I see no reason to remove them now; what's the consensus on when chrome starts
blocking competing ad-blockers?

~~~
JohnTHaller
If this ad-blocking is baked into Chrome on Android and Chrome on Android
doesn't get extensions, then Chrome on Android essentially has a built in ad-
blocker and blocks all competing ad-blockers. Chrome on Android currently has
no extensions.

If you want to block ads within the browser on Android, Firefox + uBlock is
your best bet.

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keldaris
Far too little, many years too late.

At this point, I can't imagine any development that would make me
substantially revise my approach to online advertising and tracking, which is
- block everything, preferably at the router level. I don't know many tech
literate users who think differently.

And for any relatives and friends who ask me to install their computers, I set
up adblockers by default. Those who notice (most people, actually) are usually
between happy and ecstatic.

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dang
Main discussion at
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14463732](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14463732).

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eridal
> Due to these poor ad experiences, _the usage of extensions that block ads
> across the web continues to rise, up about 30% from just last year._ This
> reduces the ability for publishers to continue creating free content and
> threatens the sustainability of the web ecosystem.

Is this the first step to remove ad blockers from Chrome? I guess that 30%
also affects Google.

~~~
duskwuff
I don't think so. To me, that simply reads as Google providing support for
their claim that users are increasingly frustrated by "poor ad experiences".

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kwhitefoot
> Advertising is a critical component of the web, keeping content open and
> free for everyone.

This is repeated often. I'm sure it is true to a degree, but to what degree?

Many of the pages that I read have:

\- no advertising at all (HN for instance, MDN, etc.),

\- advertising that is very easy to ignore (e.g. BoingBoing), or

\- content that I can live without

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butz
I imagine that this will make some new WTF moments in web development, when my
code will be considered as "bad ad" and removed from DOM.

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shard972
Anyone here know a good alternative of chrome based on V8? I personally still
can't bring myself back to FF due to V8.

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bioapparatus
Are we giving censorship a new name now?

First the search results, now the ads. When the users?

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wyck
Google is reacting very slowly to their declining ad revenue model in the face
of social media and influencers, they are stuck with a degraded
experience/platform.

It will be interesting to watch how they are going to salvage their ad network
with a much more ad-aware and a younger demographic with purchasing power.

Time to pivot, but I doubt this will work or the recent chrome ad free beta.

