If you are a Google Chrome user, you will rejoice in the latest announcement made by the tech giant. Yes, Google has spent a period of time to survey and learn about the current advertising landscape. As the trend shows a spike in video advertising, Google is determined to side with their loyal users and supporters by taking the matters seriously into their own hands and enforcing a significant change that will end the intrusive nature of this type of advertisement once and for all.
Being someone who relies on internet for most of everything I do, I find it incredibly irritating when a video advertisement pops up randomly and plays automatically. Without my consent and without anything done on my part. These autoplay videos are not only irritating, they are also costly.
Sure it does not take up all of my data, or a significant amount of it, but I would like to be in total control of what I use my internet data for. If I would like to watch that 30 to 90 second video advertisement, I would turn on the television and watch it there where I do not have to use my precious and limited internet data. But to tell you the truth, I do not even watch advertisements on TV, I skip them. So my frustration is justified. Why would they think I would be interested in having it on my phone?
The news that Google Chrome will block autoplay video really get my attention. Finally, a tech giant that actually cares – or so that is what I think. The logic for me is simple, no one likes the intrusive nature of this autoplay advertisements and yet, no major browser company has taken a step to end it.
However, a few people have also quickly pointed out that this step is far from a good samaritan’s move to clean up the web. But rather an effort that is heavily disguised, not to stop the worrying trend of intrusiveness, but to further solidify the monopoly of Google. With the power the tech giant has, it is not a difficult move for them to quash competitors or ideas that do not benefit them. While this decision will favor average users, the same cannot be said for both advertisers and publishers.
Yes, advertisers and publishers live off these annoying autoplay advertisements. It is obvious that they need the revenue to keep going. Which is the primary reason why these people argue that Google with its Google Chrome wants to make a good use of its ad-blocker to take over this part of digital advertising.
This accusation is based on various studies, including the one by the Interactive Advertising Bureau, which reported that more than 15-percent of mobile smartphone users and 26-percent of desktop users have already used some form of advertisement blocker. This number surely backs up the argument of how irritating these intrusive pop-up and autoplay advertisements are. But it also backs up the argument that the rule that will be enforced by Google Chrome starting January 2018 is not needed.
As we all already know, the initiation of applying the Coalition for Better Adds into its built-in Google Chrome browser began last April. This decision birthed what is now referred to as the Autoplay Policies and it will be enforced immediately in January 2018.
But is it truly needed or is it just Google’s way to scaffold and dominate every single aspect of advertisement? While experts cannot precisely determine the motive behind the decision as of now, one thing is sure, that the new policy and decision will be a double-edged sword. While the average users applaud the fact that Google Chrome takes on the irritating trend, they will most likely reconsider their stance the moment they realize the step also comes with a price.
Yes, they may not be aware of it now, but the future can be easily predicted in this case. Take the free contents you get to enjoy right now, for instance. They may no longer be free the moment Google completely eliminate autoplay advertisements.
How so, you ask? The answer is simple, because whether you like it or not the websites that offer you free contents rely on advertisements for their survival on the world wide web. With this decision, it would be hardly surprising if they ended up struggling due to the limited ad-dollars. They would soon resort to charging you for a monthly subscription or something else as a result from this major change. Fewer revenue will result in less free content, and the question remains; are you ready for the change in Google Chrome regulation?
