Emily Tan
Jan 29, 2018

Google now lets you mute ads that are 'following' you and trials ad blocker on Chrome for Android

The tech giant plans to expand this tool to YouTube, Search and Gmail in the coming months.

Google now lets you mute ads that are 'following' you and trials ad blocker on Chrome for Android

Google has rolled out an update that will let users mute "reminder" ads in apps and websites that partner with the company.

The tech giant plans to expand this tool to YouTube, Search and Gmail in the coming months. 

While the "mute this ad" feature has been around since 2012, this update gives the feature expanded reach across more places and devices. 

"Millions of people use 'Mute this Ad' on a daily basis, and in 2017, we received more than 5 billion pieces of feedback telling us that you mute ads that aren’t relevant. We incorporated that feedback by removing 1 million ads from our ad network based on your comments," Jon Krafci, Google's group product manager of data privacy and transparency, wrote in a blog post earlier this morning

He explained that as long as users are signed in, the updated tool will mute ads across all their devices, and that the function would appear across more apps and devices that partner with Google to show ads. 

New Chrome

Also this week, Google has released a new version of Chrome which includes a stronger pop-up blocker and the ability to mute sites that autoplay videos permanently. 

While Chrome 64 for web doesn't appear to include an ad blocker, Google has been testing its ad-blocking functions on Android devices. 

An analysis by Ad Block Plus estimates that Chrome will block nine out of 55 of the types of ads the Coalition for Better Ads (CBA) has named 'bad' ads. 

"In total, the new CBA-endorsed ad skimmer will only block 16.4% of the ad types listed in its white paper. In comparison, using the Acceptable Ads standard, Adblock Plus (and other ad blockers) block 51 different ad types, or 92.7% of those ads," the company's director of communications Ben Williams wrote in the post.

 

Source:
Campaign UK

Follow us

Top news, insights and analysis every weekday

Sign up for Campaign Bulletins

Related Articles

Just Published

1 day ago

40 Under 40 2024: Hajar Yusof, Naga DDB Tribal

Hajar’s initiatives reflect her commitment to innovation, diversity, and leaving a lasting legacy in the industry.

1 day ago

Moo Deng says hands off unless you’ve washed up

Lifebuoy’s new campaign introduces a fresh face in hand hygiene, pairing AI with playful reminders to help keep those paws—er, hands—clean.

1 day ago

The CMO's MO: Hyatt's APAC marketer on the power of ...

"Focus means saying no to 100 good ideas and saying yes to the great ones." Hyatt’s Tammy Ng shares how lessons from Steve Jobs and James Dyson are guiding her approach to personalising guest experiences.

1 day ago

Trump’s victory isn’t just America’s crisis—it’s a ...

Make no mistake—2024’s US election was a calculated exercise in marketing from beginning to end, revealing a striking alignment with the very principles that drive our industry.