Google announced its ad-blocking plan earlier this year in a blog post titled “Building a better Web for everyone.” Google’s strategy is to fight ad blockers by becoming an ad-blocking company, where it will have more control over the ad-blocking process. While most ad blockers block all ads, Google’s ad blocker will only block ads deemed “unacceptable” by the Coalition for Better Ads, an industry group that counts Google and Facebook among its members.
With a major Web browser, advertising platform, and a seat on the ad coalition, Google can help steer the direction of the ad requirements, make sure its own ads are compliant, and then block any competing advertisers that don’t adhere to the new requirements. Google is in a powerful position to dictate terms to websites and advertisers.
Chrome has more than 50 percent of the browser market, and, with an on-by-default ad blocker, this will have huge ripple effects across the Web.
